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flag Stiffer buildings in Taiwan sustain less non-structural damage in quakes, prompting calls for updated U.S. codes to prioritize post-quake usability.

flag Research on a five-story building in Taiwan confirms that stiffer structures, which drift less during earthquakes, suffer less damage to non-structural elements like walls and windows, improving post-quake functionality. flag Experts, including Santiago Pujol, say increasing stiffness by just 1–2% in construction cost significantly enhances resilience, a method used for decades in Japan and Chile. flag While New Zealand’s current codes prioritize life safety, officials and engineers are pushing for updated standards to ensure critical buildings like hospitals remain usable after quakes, with discussions underway and some firms already adopting stiffer designs.

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