Seattle_URM_Schools

In the event of an earthquake, un-reinforced masonry (URM) buildings are considered to be among the most hazardous structures to occupy. As seismologists become increasingly aware of the potential for major earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest, the municipal gonvernment of Seattle has compiled a list of URM buildings throughout the city. Structural engineers have evaluated each building for risk level and the presence of adequate seismic retrofits. However, the data set shows that schools are treated as a distinct risk category without regard to objective criteria such as age, size, or building retrofits. This project involves an analysis of Seattle's list of URM buildings to glean some insights into relative risk levels for various public school buildings. The project is intended to be self-documenting. Source data is publicly available and can be found at https://data.seattle.gov/Permitting/Unreinforced-Masonry-Buildings/54qs-2h7f Much more information about Washington's un-preparedness for a major earthquake and the inspiration for this project can be found at http://projects.seattletimes.com/2016/seismic-neglect/