THE EARTHQUAKE AND BUILDING CONSTRUCTION. 133 



Conclusions. 



Although the mouern type of bungalow in Maymyo (Pis. Nos. 3 

 and 4). stood the shock remarkably well, it is perfectly evident that 

 much of the damage which was caused, both here and in other towns. 

 could have been avoided by judicious construction, if the liability 

 of the district to disastrous earthquakes could have been foreseen. 



That such a danger exists is now only too apparent. It is a 



comparatively easy matter to build houses at 



■SHghtlv mcnlifi l a reasonable cost which are to all intents 



^neceSy. *""**" and purposes earthquake proof, yet I do not 



consider it expedient to advocate any consider- 

 able departure from the broad lines of the general type of 

 brick nogged bungalow a sketch of which is appended (PI*. Nos. 

 3 and 4). In the first place it is useless to urge the construction 

 of earthquake-proof buildings while earthquakes are isolated 

 occurrences, hardly remembered a few months after they have 

 taken place. The prejudices of custom, helped out by the more 

 immediate demands of economy and convenience, have already 

 proved themselves powerful enough to override considerations of 

 absolute safety in districts which have experienced the most 

 appalling results of the strongest earthquakes. Furthermore, the 

 ordinary type of brick nogged bungalow with a few modifications 

 seems to me fitted to withstand shocks of the intensities des- 

 cribed in these pages. 



I shall therefore content myself by bringing forward the results 

 which the present investigation has revealed in this connection, by 

 means of which I believe a further margin of safety may be added 

 to the peculiar type of house, which the special local conditions in 

 Upper Burma have brought into existence. 



Perhaps the best description of a resistant type of wooden 

 structure, which might be combined with the 



Califomian earth- Regions of the bungalows of towns like Maymyo 

 qua °' pn and Taunggyi, is that which the Califomian 



Earthquake Commission put forward as a result of their researches. 

 It is as follows : — 



"The building should be of wood, and a wooden sill should 

 be bolted to a deep-laid concrete foundation, the top of which 

 should be but little above the level of the ground. It should be 

 ceiled with wood within. Shelves for dishes should be closed in 



