Earthquake Engineering: Chapter 1

Introduction to Earthquake Resistant

Design

Earthquake Definition
An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the
perceptible shaking of the surface of the Earth, which can be violent enough to
destroy major buildings and kill thousands of people. The severity of the shaking
can range from barely felt to violent enough to toss people around.

Earthquake Resistant Design

Earthquake-resistant design are structures designed to withstand
earthquakes. While no structure can be entirely immune to damage from
earthquakes, the goal of earthquake-resistant construction is to erect structures
that far better during seismic activity than their conventional counterparts.
According to building codes, earthquake-resistant structures are intended to
withstand the largest earthquake of a certain probability that is likely to occur at
their location. This means the loss of life should be minimized by preventing
collapse of the buildings for rare earthquakes while the loss of functionality should
be limited for more frequent ones.
Currently, there are several design philosophies in earthquake engineering, making
use of experimental results, computer simulations and observations from past
earthquakes to offer the required performance for the seismic threat at the site of
interest. These range from appropriately sizing the structure to be strong and
ductile enough to survive the shaking with an acceptable damage, to equipping it
with base isolation or using structural vibration control technologies to minimize any
forces and deformations. While the former is the method typically applied in most
earthquake-resistant structures, important facilities, landmarks and cultural
heritage buildings use the more advanced (and expensive) techniques of isolation
or control to survive strong shaking with minimal damage. Examples of such
applications are the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels and the Acropolis Museum.

Earthquake and Urbanization

The death and devastation caused by major earthquakes around the

world can only worsen in the years to come, as urban development and
unprecedented population growth compound the lethal effects of natural seismic
hazards, experts say.
History of Major International Earthquakes

Valdivia Earthquake, Southern Chile

Magnitude:

9.5

Deaths:

1,655

Date:

May 22nd, 1960

The 1960 Valdivia earthquake or Great Chilean Earthquake of Sunday,

22 May 1960 is to date the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Earths
history, rating 9.5 on the moment magnitude scale.

Great Alaskan Earthquake

Magnitude: 9.2

Deaths: 141

Date:

Mar 27th, 1964

The 1964 Alaskan earthquake was a megathrust earthquake that

began at 5:36 P.M. AST on Good Friday, March 27, 1964. Across south-central
Alaska, ground fissures, collapsing structures, and tsunamis resulting from the
earthquake caused about 143 deaths. It was the most powerful recorded
earthquake in U.S. and North American history, and the second most powerful ever
measured by seismograph. It had a magnitude of 9.2, at the time making it the
second largest earthquake in recorded history.

Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami, Japan

Magnitude:

9.0 Mw

Deaths:

15,870

Date:

Mar 11th, 2011

Great East Japan Earthquake was a magnitude 9.03 (Mw) undersea

megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST (05:46 UTC)
on Friday, 11 March 2011,with the epicenter approximately 70 kilometres (43 mi)
east of the Oshika Peninsula of Tohoku and the hypocenter at an underwater depth
of approximately 32 km (20 mi). It was the most powerful known earthquake ever to
have hit Japan, and one of the five most powerful earthquakes in the world since
modern record. This quake killed an estimated 15,870 people and damaged some
nuclear reactors. This earthquake is the largest ever recorded in Japan.
This quake caused 15,870 deaths, 6,114 injured, and 2,814 people missing across
twenty prefectures, as well as 129,225 buildings totally collapsed, with a further
254,204 buildings half collapsed, and another 691,766 buildings partially
damaged.

Major Philippine Earthquakes

Since the 1600s, there have been 106 earthquakes in the Philippines with a
magnitude of more than 6.0. Of the many islands in the country, only Palawan
island has not been visited by destructive earthquakes, according to a seismic map
produced by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).
The strongest recorded earthquakes that hit the Philippine Archipelago occurred on
Sept 20 and 21, 1897, in the Celebes sea area, between the islands of Sulu and
Basilan.While no succeeding earthquakes so far matched the intensity of the July
1990 quake, it was not the strongest in Philippine history. In fact, the 7.8-magnitude
record that year comes only as 7th among the strongest that have hit the country.
The Sept 20, 1897, earthquake registered a magnitude of 8.6 on the Richter
scale, while the second quake, which occurred on the very same location the next
day, registered a magnitude of 8.7.
Next in terms of magnitude were 3 earthquakes with a magnitude of 8.3
(Aklan in 1948; near Davao Oriental in 1924; Celebes Sea in 1918). There were 3
with a magnitude of 8.1 (west of Sultan Kudarat in 1976; east of Davao Oriental in
1943; east of Samar in 1897).
Two earthquakes with a magnitude of 8 occurred in Las Pias in 1645 and in
Cagayan in 1627. Four occurred with a magnitude of 7.9: west of Ilocos Sur in 1934;
Masbate in 1897; west of Ilocos Norte in 1897; east of Samar in 1897.
Six earthquakes were as strong as the July 16, 1990 tremor, with a magnitude
of 7.8: east of Surigaodel Norte in 1952 and 1951; Mindoro Oriental in 1942; Surigao
del Sur in 1911; Davao Oriental in 1903; Quezon in 1901.

Ring of Fire
The Ring of Fire refers to a geographical area of high volcanic and seismic
activity around the edges of the Pa

cific Ocean.

Prepared By:

April John De Justo

Liesly Floreno
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