Most modern buildings are designed to withstand earthquakes but not gas explosions
While modern skyscrapers are engineered to sway safely during massive earthquakes, a simple natural gas leak can generate explosive pressures ten times higher than what these reinforced structures are built to withstand.
Structural engineering often prioritizes seismic resilience, using ductile steel rebar to help buildings bend without breaking. However, these same structures are surprisingly vulnerable to internal gas explosions. While seismic codes prepare buildings for lateral loads of 5 to 10 psi, a methane-air mixture detonating at a 5 to 15 percent concentration can generate overpressures of up to 100 psi.
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