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The US used to build using brick and mortar. It was abandoned because it was unsafe, most of those buildings were destroyed by environmental hazards that Europe
by jandrewrogers 3y ago
The US used to build using brick and mortar. It was abandoned because it was unsafe, most of those buildings were destroyed by environmental hazards that Europe does not have. Consequently, most housing in the US for the last century or more primarily uses wood, which does survive the hazards endemic to the US.
In most of the US, only wood or steel frame construction is safe. Wood houses last centuries.
- seanmcdirmid 3y agoWood is used primarily where wood is plentiful. Northern Europe uses wood to build, especially Finland. Japan uses wood to build, although they import from Canada these days. Australia also uses lots of wood. Wood holds up better in earth quakes and tornadoes than brick, but you could probably build safe buildings with bricks in the USA, they would just cost more and require similar or more maintenance.
- jandrewrogers 3y agoThe earthquake retrofits for brick buildings seem to essentially install a structural steel frame to which the brick is fastened. At which point it is not really a brick structure but a steel one. New “brick” construction is almost entirely brick facades over a steel/wood frame. While steel-reinforced masonry can be made safe, it isn’t obvious to me that actual brick-and-mortar can be.
- seanmcdirmid 3y agoEurope really use brick construction. Germany and France don’t have alot of earthquakes. They also don’t have many trees.