The Municipal, Rural Affairs, and Housing Ministry has announced that all new residential buildings in the Kingdom will only be approved if they contain earthquake-resistant designs.
The ministry issued fresh directives to its associated agencies and engineering offices across the country for new residential buildings in various regions and governorates. It said it is eager to ensure and enforce the construction of quake-resistant, sustainable and safer buildings, adding that the move is in line with the implementation of the Saudi Building Code and its amendment through two royal decrees. Furthermore, the ministry has now incorporated these specialized earthquake resistance improvements into the new Saudi Building Code Application Law.
It is eager to ensure and enforce the construction of quake-resistant, sustainable and safer buildings
Traditionally, the phrase ‘earthquake resistance design’ has referred to the utilization of a stronger core framework for a building, extending vertically and horizontally from floor to floor, in addition to more robust foundations on any building with more than four floors.
The more advanced application of insulated foundations, ‘floating’ in a gimble-type design, is normally reserved for skyscrapers, although there is a current debate in the Kingdom that it should become necessary for all new properties over 150m in height.