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Rigid building
The weakest parts of large buildings during an earthquake are the joints between the structural columns and beams. In many modern concrete buildings, columns and beams are cast in one piece. This means the frame of the building is rigid. When this frame is forced to move by an earthquake, there is no flexibility, so something breaks – it may be the beams, the columns, or where they meet.
Photograph courtesy of Robinson Seismic Limited.
