Can someone tell me 5 points about hillside houses?
Answers
Answer:
Uphill homes fare much better in earthquakes than their downhill counterparts. They’re as susceptible to seismic damage as homes built on a flat grade. However, they do face their own, unique danger - the towering hill behind them. And, believe it or not, hills are always moving.
Known as soil creep, hills’ constant state of motion is caused by gravity and water. Although unperceivable to the untrained eye, this downward progression of soil and rocks leaves tell-tale signs in its wake, such as leaning fences and trees.
Sometimes, the soil’s movement can speed up and become a landslide with little warning. Erosion due to heavy rainfall, earthquakes, or volcanic eruptions may all lead to this sudden acceleration. Right in the soil’s path, hillside homes present an easy obstacle to these gargantuan forces.Water and erosion are the leading causes of landslides, making Northern California a notably dangerous place to build a hillside home. That said, earthquakes are not discerning in the damage they inflict and may cause devastating landslides even in SoCal’s arid climate.
The only sure-fire way to prevent landslide damage to your home is to build it on a flat site. If this option is not for you, you must make every effort to stabilize the soil around your home. Several methods can help you do this:
You can’t stop the rain, but you can channel rainwater in a way that prevents erosion in your home’s vicinity. Besides reducing the risk of landslides, proper drainage will ensure that rainwater doesn’t flood your property and destabilize your home’s foundation.