The '921 Earthquake’ in 1999 destroyed or severely damaged half of all traditional street-front houses in the Nantou region. After the earthquake, National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering (NCREE), National Applied Research Laboratories (NARLabs), developed a quick way to estimate the earthquake-resistance of low-rise reinforced concrete buildings, dubbed the “Street-front house Earthquake-Resistance Calculator.” On its website, by entering a certain building's location, area, stories, and first floor pillar and wall area, one can obtain its earthquake-resistance level.

History must not be forgotten, and experiences must be remembered. The 921 Earthquake was a historical event that no Taiwanese may forget. The earthquake left 2,455 dead, 84,255 houses in total or partial collapse, and an estimated national economic loss of NTD 360 billion. At that time in Nantou, half of all traditional street-front houses collapsed or were severely damaged, and similarly low-rise buildings are commonplace throughout Taiwan. There are 33 closely situated active faults beneath the island, which can cause earthquakes of up to 7 on the Richter scale once every 10 to 30 years. It is of the utmost importance for Taiwan's future to prevent such tragedy from recurring when the next quake hits.

After the 921 Earthquake, NCREE began a long-term collaboration with the Ministry of Education in implementing the “Seismic Upgrade Project for Public School Buildings in Taiwan.” Over 9,000 school buildings were surveyed for earthquake-resistance, and ba

Generally, the higher and heavier a building is, the higher earthquake resistance it requires. Earthquake resistance comes from pillar and wall area; the larger these values, the more earthquake-resistant a building will be. In the case of the 921 quake, low-rise reinforced concrete buildings generally collapsed at the first floor, and less severe damage occurred on the second floor and above. Therefore, with enough pillar and wall area, earthquakes can be defended against.

The Street-front House Earthquake-Resistance Calculator is an interactive website ba

What to Do in Cases of Insufficient Earthquake Resistance?
When the Street-front House Earthquake-Resistance Calculator reveals concern regarding a building's earthquake safety, the user is encouraged to contact specialists for a comprehensive earthquake resistance evaluation. The website provides contact information for professional associations across the country. In the case that insufficient earthquake resistance is confirmed by a specialist, retrofit measures should be taken immediately. Retrofit measures verified through scientific testing by NCREE include increasing pillar section area, adding wing walls, shear walls, and steel bracing - these are also the most common retrofit measures for public and school buildings. ba