How can subways be built and operate safely in an area with earthquake faults?
Many underground facilities – subway tunnels, sewers, storm drains and buildings – have been built in Los Angeles and throughout California near active fault lines. California has some of the strictest building standards when it comes to designing infrastructure to withstand earthquakes. One of the initial steps in planning a transportation project like a subway is to identify where faults are located and understand their characteristics. The goal in planning the subway is to avoid faults if possible. If that is not possible, then every effort is made to minimize exposure to the fault(s), often by crossing a fault in a perpendicular orientation. Running parallel increases the risk as more of the project is exposed to the fault. This can increase project costs as special engineering and construction techniques utilized in a fault zone must be employed along a greater portion of the project. Various special engineering techniques have been employed in fault zones to reduce the risk of da
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