As the five-story building (in the background) started to fail, the trailing pillars were pulled from the foundation. The smooth steel rods embedded in the foundation had no cohesion within the concrete, nor any hook structure on their free ends to prevent them from being pulled out. Traditional buildings consisting of timber frame with masonry infill (such as the one pictured here) were found standing next to partially collapsed, concrete frame structures. Wooden buildings are generally more capable of withstanding moderate earthquakes than concrete buildings because they bend more easily.

Image Credit: Roger Bilham. University of Colorado, Dept. of Geological Sciences