Foundation Anchorage

Structures are supported by their foundations. During an earthquake, buildings may be picked up and moved off their foundations either by being pushed in the horizontal direction of the quake or vertically perpendicular to the tremor, resulting in damage to the walls floors, windows, and ceilings.

Mitigation to this problem is both simple and inexpensive. Anchor bolts may be used to fix the home to the foundation. The bolts may be placed in newly poured concrete or drilled into an existing foundation. Anchor bolts are then connected to the sill plate with a nut. One bolt should be placed for every 269 ft (25 m.) of floor area above the foundation. This procedure will help the building remain connected to its foundation during an earthquake.