Yes, though not often and not strongly. The NSR-10 places Barranquilla in a low seismic hazard zone, with an acceleration coefficient of 0.10 (Aa = 0.10). That does not mean the design can ignore earthquakes: the code requires seismic-resistant design throughout the country, and on the coast there are factors that weigh as much as the earthquake: the soil, the wind and corrosion from salt air.
What the low hazard zone changes
In a low hazard zone, the NSR-10 allows structural systems with less demanding detailing requirements than in Bogotá or Medellín; in concrete, for example, it accepts frames with minimum energy dissipation capacity (DMI). But the design forces also depend on the soil type and the use: a school or a clinic is designed for larger forces than a home, because it must keep operating after an earthquake.
The soil weighs more than the map
Seismic waves are amplified in soft soils. Barranquilla and its metropolitan area have clays and deposits that change the way a building responds, and that is why the geotechnical study defines the soil profile the design uses. We explain it in expansive clays in southwest Barranquilla.
Wind and salt air
On the coast, wind can govern the design of roofs, facades and light structures such as warehouses, and salt air sets the cover and the concrete quality that protect the steel. A good structural design in Barranquilla solves all three at once: earthquake, wind and durability. On salt air, see chlorides and reinforcement.
For existing buildings
Many of the city's buildings were built before the NSR-10, or even before the country's first seismic-resistant code, of 1984. If they are extended, change use or have their structure modified, the NSR-10 requires an assessment of their seismic vulnerability and, if needed, a retrofit. See our assessment and retrofit service.
Frequently asked questions
Are there earthquakes in Barranquilla?
Yes, though not often. The NSR-10 places it in the low seismic hazard zone, with Aa = 0.10, and even so it requires seismic-resistant design.
What else weighs on the design on the coast?
The soil, the wind and corrosion from salt air, which can weigh as much as the earthquake.
