New York Earthquake Building Codes, Mr.Vazquez

New York Earthquake Building Codes
Teaching Interdisciplinary Problems Solving (TIPS)
Through Educational Technology

By: Mr.Vazquez

J.F.K High School , Bronx N.Y
November 2000

Introduction

Earthquakes, I thought would be a very interesting subject for this paper because most of my students are usually surprised and interested about earthquakes in the New York area. A great deal of the students have some knowledge of California's seismic activity along the San Andrea Fault, but have no idea that they may live near a fault in New York or how there building might react during an earthquake.
Historically, only a few large earthquakes have struck east of the Rocky Mountains since Europeans settled in America. Of these the most notable had a magnitude of an 8 on the rector scale at New Madrid, Missouri in the early 1800s, Charleston, and in 1886 South Carolina there was quake of 7.6. Until recently, experts thought the earthquakes were fairly isolated events since the quakes in the east were not part of a large seismic pattern because "no major fault systems were known and it was not near any tectonic plate boundary "(Klaus Jacob, 1996). However, over the past decade seismologists have accumulated data suggesting that large earthquakes occur regular in the Eastern United States. Now seismologist have forecasted that the central and eastern United States are about two-thirds as likely as California to have a damaging earthquake in the next 30 years. This prediction includes several large urban areas like Montreal, Ottawa, Boston Charleston and New York. The New York state is the focus of this research and has had its share of earthquakes in the past. The two largest earthquakes in New York were in the years 1737 and 1884, both measured a magnitude (M) of about 6.0 on the Richter scale occurred in the same area in Rockaway.

Task

Your task will be to work individually or in a group and review these issues. You will write a position paper explaining the issues associated with your topic. You or your group will present the issue and your position on it to the entire class and defend your position by answering questions from the audience.

Questions to consider about the role of government/state and scientific research and development concerning Earthquakes in New York. Hint-use Internet research, Public Policies and codes of other states or countries.

Step 1
Research New York Earthquakes and Building Codes
1. Should the New York public be concerned with Earthquakes in New York?
2. What type of evidence is there of possible Earthquakes in New York?
3. What are some of the causes of Earthquakes in New York?
4. What are some of the benefits in developing New York Earthquakes building codes?
5. Should government and New York State limit scientific research on Earthquakes?
6. Should New York State limit the funding of certain types of Earthquake building research projects?
7. Should New York State issue guidelines for Earthquake building research projects and why?
8. Should New York State limit the funding of certain types of Earthquake building research projects?
9. How can the public influence the state in order to develop Earthquake building code?
10.What are some possible political strategies that can influence the state in order to develop Earthquake building code?
11.What type of Earthquake building codes should there be and why?
12.What type of building should be included in the codes; old, new or both?
13.Should New York State limit the funding for Earthquake building code enforcement?

Step 2
With the information from step 1 create a research paper using proper report format and the Public Policy outline as show below.

Public Policy (outline)
1- Define problem
2- Gather Evidence
3- Identify Problem
4- Evaluate a Policy
5- Develop solution
6- Select best solution
7- Benefits and Costs
8-Develop political strategies

Step 3
Prepare a paper and an oral presentation for the class. You will be graded on:
A. Completeness
B. Oral Presentation depending on time frame(rules will be discussed in class)
C. Written paper
D. Promptness

Sources

Public Library, John F Kennedy High School Library and Internet sites.

Internet Resources

The following sites will be of use to you in conducting your research:

A.Earthquake and Buildings

-Mr. Vazquez Web Page" ( http://hometown.aol.com//fuzzy3avaz/1.html)
-Frequently Asked Questions: Earthquakes and New York State
(http://mceer.buffalo.edu/infoService/faqs/default.html)
-Could an Earthquake Strike New York City?( http://www.usgs.gov/hazards/transcript.html)
-Earthquakes (by:Bolt) (http://www.whfreeman.com/bolt/)

-Quake Tech, Discovery.com's site(http://tlc.discovery.com/tlcpages/greatquakes/greatquakes_tech.html
-New York Earthquake(http://www.newage.com.au/library/newyork.html)
-Why should people in the eastern US be concerned about earthquakes? (http://pasadena.wr.usgs.gov/eqhaz/faq/regional.html#1)
-Earthquakes: Frequently Asked Questions (http://pasadena.wr.usgs.gov/eqhaz/faq)
-(NYSGS) damaging Earthquakes in Eastern North America?
(http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/geodame.html)
-Probabilities, Seismic Hazard & Earthquake Engineering.
(http://pasadena.wr.usgs.gov/eqhaz/faq/hazard.html)
-KIE Evidence: Building Safer Structures
(http://www.kie.berkeley.edu/ned/data/E01-980210-001/full.html)
-ABAG Earthquake and Housing Impacts - Why You Need To Know
(http://www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/eqmaps/shelpop/needknow.html)
-Guide - Earthquakes And Buildings (http://www.mcvicker.com/twd/apa/eqguide/eqguid01.htm#TOC)
-California Building Standards Commission (http://www.bsc.ca.gov/)
-USGS Eathquake info (http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/)
-Understanding Earth with CD-ROM (http://www.whfreeman.com/presssiever/),

B. Government Resources and Tips

-Tips Web Site (http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/tips.html)
-U.S Federal Government Resources (http://www.firstgov.gov/)
-Federal Resources for Educational Excellence - Home Page (http://www.ed.gov/free/)
-Gale net (http://galenet.gale.com/a/acp/name)
-PEPP WWW home page (http://lasker.princeton.edu/index.shtml)
-SSA Seismology Resources for Teachers (http://icdweb.cc.purdue.edu/~nowack/seismology_resources.html)
-Scientist's Earthquake Codes Adopted (http://www.columbia.edu/cu/record20/record2019.18.html)
-Jacobs School of Engineering News Releases (http://www.soe.ucsd.edu/events/8_6_5sty.html)
-Earthquake Prep (http://web.uvic.ca/ohs/eqprep.html)
-New York Earthquake (http://www.newage.com.au/library/newyork.html)

Evaluation

All tasks of the project will be presented by due dates and will be evaluated in terms of, content, punctuality, completeness, and attendance (participation).