Our Homes: Who is Responsible if They Do Not Withstand Earthquakes?
Introduction to the Meeting
Host: In the name of Allah, all praise is due to Allah, and prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. Dear brothers, peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah the Almighty and His blessings. Today, I would like to introduce you to one of my dearest friends, with whom I have had a deep brotherhood for thirty-three years, Engineer Khaled Droza. May Allah bless you, Abu Ibrahim.
Engineer Khaled: May Allah bless you, my beloved brother Abu Al-Farouk.
Host: In 1993, I and Khaled entered the Jordan University of Science and Technology; I was in the College of Pharmacy and he was in the College of Engineering. Then he transferred to the University of Jordan and graduated second in his class, praise be to Allah. Now he has his own engineering office.
Khaled and I accompany each other to Friday prayers. After the earthquake events, he mentioned to me some information that I felt was important for all of us, and I wanted to convey it to you, especially as it adds another important aspect that has not been highlighted in the recent period. We have previously discussed the spiritual aspect of contentment with divine decree and patience, but there is a very important aspect, which is understanding the material causes of what happened, and whether there was human negligence that led to the escalation of the damage? So that the culprit does not escape punishment.
If we confine our discussion to the aspect of contentment only, some people might find an "excuse" to hang their negligence and failure to perform their duty, saying, "It's fate," in a negative way that obscures our thinking about taking causes.
Engineering Experience in Structural Design
Host: The first question for you, my brother Khaled: What is the nature of your work and your experience?
Engineer Khaled: First, I am a civil engineer, and my work focuses primarily on the world of structural design, or the world of structural building for various types of buildings and facilities. My experience spans approximately 25 years, during which I have designed hundreds of facilities, some of which I focused on reviewing and approving, and sometimes redesigning to reduce costs or improve their quality. Our work extends from Jordan to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Gulf countries, Yemen, Algeria, Libya, and a number of African countries.
Could the Turkey and Syria Earthquake Disaster Have Been Avoided?
Host: The earthquake that occurred in Turkey and Syria, is it a natural disaster that cannot be avoided? Or was it possible to reduce these huge losses?
Engineer Khaled: Of course, it is a very large disaster, and the earthquake is classified as one of the strongest earthquakes in the world. However, it can be said without hesitation that it was possible to avoid many of the huge destructive effects, especially those related to the collapse of buildings over the heads of their residents.
There is a special science called "the science of designing structures to resist seismic actions," which has books, global codes, and seismic maps for all parts of the earth. Students in universities study the principles of these sciences. Therefore, seismic design of buildings is the foundation.
What is an Earthquake and How Does it Affect Buildings?
Engineer Khaled: The earth's crust is not a single plate but consists of seven main plates separated by gaps called "faults." These plates move continuously due to the heat emitted from the earth's interior and need to release the stored stresses, causing a sudden break or slip from which the "seismic wave" is released.
There are factors on which the structural engineer relies to calculate the seismic force:
- Proximity or distance from faults: The closer the building is to the fault center, the greater the impact. In our region, for example, there is the "Dead Sea Fault" and the "Anatolian Fault."
- Nature of the soil: The seismic force is affected by the type of soil; weak, fragile soil doubles the effect of the earthquake, while solid rock soil is more bearable and safe, although excavation is costly, it saves on the size of the foundations later.
- Importance of the structure: Hospitals, civil defense centers, and schools must be designed for higher seismic forces than ordinary residential buildings to ensure the continuity of their service after the disaster.
The Role of the Engineer in Simulation and Design
Engineer Khaled: The designing engineer must perform a simulation of the building through a "three-dimensional model," representing the columns, walls, bridges, and foundations, then applying the seismic force and observing the behavior of each element.
One of the most famous seismic-resistant systems is the use of "reinforced walls" (such as elevator and staircase walls) that strengthen the building and enable it to withstand the swaying caused by the seismic wave without collapsing or causing the cladding and glass elements to fall on people.
Engineering Supervision: Reality and Aspiration
Host: Are engineering offices obligated to this design? And is it applied in practice?
Engineer Khaled: The situation varies; some countries obligate the engineer theoretically but do not inspect the final product. The best situation is what we aspire to in our countries, which is the presence of supervisory bodies (unions or municipalities) that inspect the drawings, appoint qualified and financially self-sufficient cadres so that they are not forced to work externally, which may affect their impartiality.
The most important matter is after the approval of the drawings; that is, the "implementation" stage. There must be strict supervision to ensure that what is implemented on the ground matches the approved drawings. Unfortunately, sometimes there is a "conspiracy" between the supervisory authority and the owner to reduce the quantities of iron or change the structural system to save costs, and here the disaster occurs.
The Difference Between the Richter Scale and the Mercalli Scale
Host: Khaled, I remember you mentioned the "Mercalli" scale for measuring seismic force, and we are accustomed to hearing about the "Richter" scale. Can you clarify the difference between them?
Engineer Khaled: Indeed, there is a fundamental difference:
- Richter Scale: Measures the "strength of the earthquake," which is the amount of energy released from the earthquake's center in the earth's interior. When we say 7 on the Richter scale, we are describing the generated energy, regardless of its depth or effects.
- Mercalli Scale: Measures the "intensity of the earthquake" and its destructive effects visible on the earth's crust surface, consisting of 12 degrees.
Engineer Khaled: To illustrate the difference with real examples:
- Aqaba Earthquake (1995): Its strength was 7.3 on the Richter scale, but its center was far away in the sea (80 km south of Aqaba), so its effects were minor and the number of casualties was very limited.
- Agadir Earthquake in Morocco (1960): Its strength was only 5.7 on the Richter scale (simple compared to the Aqaba earthquake), but it was very close to the surface, which led to the death of 15,000 people and the destruction of the city. This earthquake was classified as degree 12 (the maximum degree) on the Mercalli scale.
Therefore, the quality of the buildings, the location of the earthquake, and its depth are what determine the actual size of the destruction (Mercalli) more than just the number of the released energy (Richter).
Betrayal of Trust in the Recent Turkey Earthquake
Presenter: Since Turkey is a known seismic zone with the "Anatolian Fault," was this taken into consideration? Why did the disaster occur on this scale?
Engineer Khaled: The earthquake was indeed severe, but it became clear that there was an issue with the design and implementation of the collapsed buildings. The conclusive evidence is the "TOKI" houses that the Turkish government built; none of these buildings in the affected areas collapsed, nor did they face any construction problems, because they were executed with high quality and meticulous oversight.
Meanwhile, adjacent buildings collapsed completely, confirming human negligence and betrayal of trust in the execution of those private buildings. The aspect of divine decree has been highlighted, but the human criminal aspect has not received its due discussion.
Partners in Crime: Who Is Responsible?
Presenter: This massive tragedy of deaths, displaced people, and orphans—who are the partners in this human crime?
Engineer Khaled: The criminals are many, and they can be summarized into five main categories:
- The First Criminal: The Design Engineer; who does not fear Allah in his work, either due to his ignorance of the codes and lack of self-development, or due to his deliberate negligence and lack of sufficient effort. Designing an earthquake-resistant building requires weeks of simulation and calculations, and anyone who claims to complete it in hours is deceiving people.
- The Second Criminal: The Investor or Building Owner; who only cares about increasing his profits, asking the engineer for two designs; one "cosmetic" for licensing, and another "non-compliant" for execution to reduce the quantities of iron and concrete, mocking people's lives.
- The Third Criminal: The Supervising Engineer; who is just a "number" and does not actually follow up on the project, leaving the contractor to do as he pleases and reduce the quality.
- The Fourth Criminal: The Inspecting Engineer; who approves the plans without real scrutiny, either due to his lack of skill or because of favoritism or bribery.
- The Fifth Criminal: The Higher Regulatory Authorities; who do not oversee these inspectors, or pressure them to pass non-compliant projects, or do not provide them with sufficient income that would keep them away from corruption.
Presenter: And we should add everyone who contributed to the "cheating" system; from the mother who teaches her son the answers, to the father who forces his son to specialize in something he does not master, to the universities that pass unqualified students. All of them are partners in creating a "failed engineer" who will kill people in the future with his ignorance.
The Bright Side and Hope
Presenter: Is the picture entirely bleak? Or are there exemplary models?
Engineer Khaled: Despite the darkness of the scene, there is light. There are engineers who fear Allah and scrutinize the smallest details, there are supervisors who were fired from their jobs because they refused to change the specifications and endured and accounted for it, and there are building owners who ask the engineer to "strengthen" the building to protect lives even if they do not live in it themselves.
Conclusion and Recommendation
Presenter: People, it is not right to make divine decree a "scapegoat" for our mistakes. If we leave the door open, thieves will steal; we should not just say "this is God's decree," but we must take the criminal by the hand and put a strong lock on the door.
Many of those who object to God's decree today may be partners in the crime through their negligence in their specialties and work. Medicine is not the only profession related to lives; an engineer's mistake can take the lives of hundreds in one moment, as we saw in the alleged "Piece of Paradise" building that collapsed on top of 800 people.
We thank Engineer Khaled Droze for this valuable information and ask Allah to benefit us with it and make us among those who fulfill trust rightly. Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.