China Observations: Cinder blocks
Thursday, July 1st, 2010 in: News, Travel
One thing I noticed driving through the countryside here is the prevalence of cinder blocks as the go-to building material. Almost every house being built in the countryside is made from these things. Everywhere we went we either saw fresh blocks drying in the sun, or stacks of them piled up next to unfinished buildings. I don’t know if they bother to fill them in order to reinforce or insulate them at all. This makes me worry about the infrastructure of China, and the speed with which it’s being built up. Are they taking the time to do things properly, or are they just in such a rush to look developed that they overlook the mishandled construction of the buildings in the countryside. Isn’t this the kind of building that consistently falls over in an earthquake, as evidenced by the tragedies of 2008 and again earlier this year? Cinder blocks are heavy, especially when they fall on you.
Just a thought.
I think you are right. The buildings that collapsed in the earthquake had concrete without enough rebar, but I would bet the problem is more widespread then just that
It’s pretty much EXACTLY what it looks like, as are most things in China I found. You’re observations, while they might seem obvious to the point of bringing on doubt as to your own judgment, are quite dead on.