VOA慢速英语2014 应对自然灾害需要特殊的建筑设计

 

AS IT IS 2014-06-24 Natural Disasters Require Special Building Design 应对自然灾害需要特殊的建筑设计

Natural disasters happen everywhere in the world.  Many cause property damage and loss of life.  But researchers say the severity of their effects can be reduced if people take steps to prepare.

A new exhibit teaches what governments and individuals can do to lessen¹ the effects.  The show is taking place at the National Building Museum here in Washington, D.C.

Natural disasters take place often, and sometimes unexpectedly, across the United States.  But there is technology that can save property and lives.

Chrysanthe Broikos organized the exhibit at the National Building Museum.  She says large buildings and other structures can survive strong earthquakes if they are built with some level of flexibility².  In other words, they need to be able to bend and move as the earth shakes.

“We need to let buildings move and we can actually understand where they might fail, and then go in and design buildings with that in mind.”

One building design is called a “special moment frame.”  It enables movement at points where large load-bearing supports join each other.  Rubber-based foundation blocks let buildings move, while huge shock absorbers help to limit the shaking.

The museum exhibit has a model of a wind wall built at the International Hurricane Research Center in Florida.  The model shows how some roofs or tops of buildings are more likely to be destroyed than others because of the strong winds of hurricanes and tornadoes³. Chrysanthe Broikos says tests show that a moderately angled roof is best able to withstand wind storms.

“This hipped⁴ roof shape actually withstands better than, actually both, a flat roof or a gable roof.”

In areas with powerful winds, researchers have strongly urged the creation of at least one ‘safe room.’  This is a place where building occupants can spend the most dangerous part of the storm.

Another concern is how to deal with storm surges and flooding.  Some coastal⁵ communities in the U.S. have made artificial reefs from oyster⁶ shells instead of rocks.  The builders use shells collected from restaurants to create the barriers.

“It turns out that oyster reefs actually help to attenuate⁷ wave action.  They also help with soil erosion.”

Chrysanthe Broikos also suggests setting aside land along the coast for parks instead of housing.  She says this is more natural and keeps valuable property away from danger.

As for forest fires, researchers now suggest clearing an area about 60 meters wide around a single-family house.

“What that means is trying to keep that area free of material that easily combusts.”

Some natural disasters cannot be prevented.  But researchers say planning and timely investment can provide the same kind of protection as putting sunblock on your skin before spending the day outside the house.

1 lessen   

vt.减少，减轻；缩小

参考例句：

• Regular exercise can help to lessen the pain.经常运动有助于减轻痛感。
• They've made great effort to lessen the noise of planes.他们尽力减小飞机的噪音。

2 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

3 tornadoes   

n.龙卷风，旋风( tornado的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Tornadoes, severe earthquakes, and plagues create wide spread havoc. 龙卷风、大地震和瘟疫成普遍的毁坏。 来自互联网
• Meteorologists are at odds over the working of tornadoes. 气象学者对龙卷风的运动方式看法不一。 来自互联网

4 hipped   

adj.着迷的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• The dark Blue Ridge Mountains in which I dwell, great-hipped, big-breasted, slumber on the western sky. 黛色的兰岭山，那是我居住的地方，它象臀丰乳高的女郎，依然安睡在浩瀚的天幕之下。 来自辞典例句
• Mountains in which I dwell, great-hipped, bigbreasted, slumber on the western sky. 黛色的兰岭山，那是我居住的地方，她象风姿绰约的女郎，依然安睡在浩瀚的天幕之下。 来自互联网

5 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

6 oyster   

n.牡蛎；沉默寡言的人

参考例句：

• I enjoy eating oyster; it's really delicious.我喜欢吃牡蛎，它味道真美。
• I find I fairly like eating when he finally persuades me to taste the oyster.当他最后说服我尝尝牡蛎时，我发现我相当喜欢吃。

7 attenuate   

v.使变小，使减弱

参考例句：

• Then we got involved with trying to find polymers that attenuate radiation.接著我们致力于找出能够减弱辐射的聚合物。
• In a forest,wet wood and needles attenuate the signals.在森林中，潮湿的树木与针叶会使讯号变弱。