How can we make buildings more resilient before – and after – earthquakes? We put one solution to the test

Philippines Red Cross/Getty Images

This week’s magnitude 7.8 earthquake in the Philippines came with scenes familiar to New Zealanders: collapsed buildings, shattered facades and streets strewn with rubble.

Earthquakes of such force test buildings to their extreme limits. As occurred this week, and in Christchurch in 2011, some ultimately fail with tragic consequences.