LESSONS FROM PAST LESSONS FROM PAST NOTABLE EARTHQUAKESNOTABLE EARTHQUAKES
PART VIIIPART VIII
Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, Vienna,
Virginia, USA
PAST NOTABLE PAST NOTABLE EARTHQUAKESEARTHQUAKES
SPITAK, ARMENIASPITAK, ARMENIA
DECEMBER 7, 1988DECEMBER 7, 1988
EARTHQAKES ARE EARTHQAKES ARE DYNAMIC DYNAMIC LABORATORIESLABORATORIES FOR FOR
LEARNING AND CATALYSTS LEARNING AND CATALYSTS FOR FOR BUILDING CAPACITY BUILDING CAPACITY
FOR FOR DISASTER-INTELLIGENT DISASTER-INTELLIGENT & DISASTER-RESILIENT & DISASTER-RESILIENT
COMMUNITESCOMMUNITES
OCCURRENCEOCCURRENCE
SPITAK EARTHQUAKESPITAK EARTHQUAKESPITAK EARTHQUAKESPITAK EARTHQUAKE
M6.8M6.8 11:41 AM LOCAL 11:41 AM LOCAL
TIMETIME ““BLIND” THRUST BLIND” THRUST
FAULTFAULT INTENSITY X INTENSITY X (MSK (MSK
SCALE)SCALE)
M6.8M6.8 11:41 AM LOCAL 11:41 AM LOCAL
TIMETIME ““BLIND” THRUST BLIND” THRUST
FAULTFAULT INTENSITY X INTENSITY X (MSK (MSK
SCALE)SCALE)
SPITAK WAS IN THE SPITAK WAS IN THE “BULLS” EYE”“BULLS” EYE”
APT. BLDGS., APT. BLDGS., HOSPITALS AND HOSPITALS AND SCHOOLS SCHOOLS COLLAPSEDCOLLAPSED
INT’L SEARCH AND INT’L SEARCH AND RESCUE OF RESCUE OF TRAPPED VICTIMS TRAPPED VICTIMS
SPITAK WAS IN THE SPITAK WAS IN THE “BULLS” EYE”“BULLS” EYE”
APT. BLDGS., APT. BLDGS., HOSPITALS AND HOSPITALS AND SCHOOLS SCHOOLS COLLAPSEDCOLLAPSED
INT’L SEARCH AND INT’L SEARCH AND RESCUE OF RESCUE OF TRAPPED VICTIMS TRAPPED VICTIMS
SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: COMPLEX TECTONICSCOMPLEX TECTONICS
SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: COMPLEX TECTONICSCOMPLEX TECTONICS
ARMENIA: LOCATED IN THE ARMENIA: LOCATED IN THE LESSER CAUCASUS MTNSLESSER CAUCASUS MTNS
THE CAUSATIVE BLIND THRUST THE CAUSATIVE BLIND THRUST FAULT FAULT (USSR ACAD. OF SCI.)(USSR ACAD. OF SCI.)
INADEQUATE RESISTANCE TO HORIZONTAL GROUND SHAKING
EARTHQUAKESEARTHQUAKES
SOIL AMPLIFICATION
PERMANENT DISPLACEMENT (SURFACE FAULTING & GROUND
FAILURE)
IRREGULARITIES IN ELEVATION AND PLAN
FIRE FOLLOWING RUPTURE OF UTILITIES
LACK OF DETAILING AND CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
INATTENTION TO NON-STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS
CAUSES OF DAMAGE
CAUSES OF DAMAGE
“DISASTER LABORATORIES”
“DISASTER LABORATORIES”
IMPACTS IMPACTS
BUILDINGSBUILDINGS
LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE
ALL NOTABLE ALL NOTABLE EARTHQUAKESEARTHQUAKES
PREPAREDNESS PREPAREDNESS PLANNING FOR PLANNING FOR THE THE INEVITABLE INEVITABLE GROUND SHAKINGGROUND SHAKING IS ESSENTIAL FOR IS ESSENTIAL FOR COMMUNITY COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.RESILIENCE.
LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE
ALL NOTABLE ALL NOTABLE EARTHQUAKESEARTHQUAKES
PROTECTION OF PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS AND BUILDINGS AND INFRASTRUCTURE INFRASTRUCTURE IS ESSENTIAL IS ESSENTIAL FOR COMMUNITY FOR COMMUNITY RESILIENCERESILIENCE..
SPITAK EARTHQUAKESPITAK EARTHQUAKESPITAK EARTHQUAKESPITAK EARTHQUAKE
SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALSHOSPITALS PERFORMED PERFORMED POORLYPOORLY
SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALSHOSPITALS PERFORMED PERFORMED POORLYPOORLY
LOSS OF LOSS OF ESSENTIAL ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONSFUNCTIONS
MEDICAL SERVICES MEDICAL SERVICES WERE WERE UN-UN-AVAILABLEAVAILABLE IN THE IN THE HOUR OF HOUR OF GREATEST NEED. GREATEST NEED.
LOSS OF LOSS OF ESSENTIAL ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONSFUNCTIONS
MEDICAL SERVICES MEDICAL SERVICES WERE WERE UN-UN-AVAILABLEAVAILABLE IN THE IN THE HOUR OF HOUR OF GREATEST NEED. GREATEST NEED.
COLLAPSED SCHOOL: A COLLAPSED SCHOOL: A PROTECTION NIGHTMAREPROTECTION NIGHTMARE
ALL OF THE CHILDREN WERE ALL OF THE CHILDREN WERE KILLED KILLED WHEN SOME SCHOOLS COLLAPSED WHEN SOME SCHOOLS COLLAPSED ------
JUST JUST MINUTES BEFORE MINUTES BEFORE THEY WOULD THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED AND OUTSIDE HAVE BEEN DISMISSED AND OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL ON THE WAY HOME FOR THE SCHOOL ON THE WAY HOME FOR LUNCH.LUNCH.
THE VULNERABILITIES OF THE VULNERABILITIES OF APARTMENT BUILDINGS, SCHOOLS, APARTMENT BUILDINGS, SCHOOLS,
AND HOSPITALS CONSTRUCTED AND HOSPITALS CONSTRUCTED DURING THE END OF THE BRESHNIV DURING THE END OF THE BRESHNIV
ERA WERE EXPOSED BY THE ERA WERE EXPOSED BY THE STRONG GROUND SHAKING OF THE STRONG GROUND SHAKING OF THE
M6.8 EARTHQUAKE M6.8 EARTHQUAKE
SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: UN-SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: UN-REINFORCED MASONRYREINFORCED MASONRY
SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: UN-SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: UN-REINFORCED MASONRYREINFORCED MASONRY
SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: UN-SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: UN-REINFORCED MASONRYREINFORCED MASONRY
SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: UN-SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: UN-REINFORCED MASONRYREINFORCED MASONRY
SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: CONCRETE FRAME BUILDINGSCONCRETE FRAME BUILDINGS
SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: CONCRETE FRAME BUILDINGSCONCRETE FRAME BUILDINGS
SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: NEW SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: NEW BUILDINGS PERFORMED POORLYBUILDINGS PERFORMED POORLY
SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: NEW SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: NEW BUILDINGS PERFORMED POORLYBUILDINGS PERFORMED POORLY
UN-ANCHORED FLOOR PLANKS UN-ANCHORED FLOOR PLANKS CAUSED COLLAPSESCAUSED COLLAPSES
UN-ANCHORED FLOOR PLANKS UN-ANCHORED FLOOR PLANKS CAUSED COLLAPSESCAUSED COLLAPSES
One hundred and thirty-two One hundred and thirty-two nine-story precast-concrete-nine-story precast-concrete-
frame buildings collapsed frame buildings collapsed or were heavily damaged in or were heavily damaged in
Leninakan.Leninakan.
LENINAKAN: SOIL AMPLIFICATION LENINAKAN: SOIL AMPLIFICATION EXACERBATED DAMAGE POTENTIALEXACERBATED DAMAGE POTENTIALLENINAKAN: SOIL AMPLIFICATION LENINAKAN: SOIL AMPLIFICATION
EXACERBATED DAMAGE POTENTIALEXACERBATED DAMAGE POTENTIAL
LENINAKAN DAMAGELENINAKAN DAMAGE
Leninakan's location along the eastern Leninakan's location along the eastern banks of the Akhurian River also banks of the Akhurian River also contributed significantly to the damagecontributed significantly to the damage, , because most buildings in the area were because most buildings in the area were built on shallow foundations sited on built on shallow foundations sited on thick sections of clay, sand, soil, and thick sections of clay, sand, soil, and tuffs which amplified the ground motion tuffs which amplified the ground motion and increased the duration of shaking.and increased the duration of shaking.
SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: CULTURAL SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: CULTURAL HERITAGE DESTROYEDHERITAGE DESTROYED
SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: CULTURAL SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: CULTURAL HERITAGE DESTROYEDHERITAGE DESTROYED
LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE
ALL NOTABLE ALL NOTABLE EARTHQUAKESEARTHQUAKES
PREPAREDNESS PREPAREDNESS PLANNING FOR PLANNING FOR THE THE INEVITABLE INEVITABLE GROUND FAILURE GROUND FAILURE IS ESSENTIAL IS ESSENTIAL FOR COMMUNITY FOR COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.RESILIENCE.
LANDSLIDESLANDSLIDES
Hundreds to thousands of Hundreds to thousands of landslides were triggered west of landslides were triggered west of Alivar by the earthquake, but their Alivar by the earthquake, but their impacts were minor.impacts were minor.
LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE
ALL NOTABLE ALL NOTABLE EARTHQUAKESEARTHQUAKES
CAPACITY FOR CAPACITY FOR EMERGENCY EMERGENCY RESPONSE RESPONSE IS IS ESSENTIAL FOR ESSENTIAL FOR COMMUNITY COMMUNITY RESILIENCERESILIENCE..
SPITAK EARTHQUAKESPITAK EARTHQUAKESPITAK EARTHQUAKESPITAK EARTHQUAKE
PRESIDENT PRESIDENT GORBACHAV GORBACHAV WAS WAS THE GUEST OF THE GUEST OF PRESIDENT PRESIDENT REAGAN AND REAGAN AND PRESIDENT-ELECT PRESIDENT-ELECT BUSH IN NEW BUSH IN NEW YORK AT TIME OF YORK AT TIME OF QUAKE QUAKE
PRESIDENT PRESIDENT GORBACHAV GORBACHAV WAS WAS THE GUEST OF THE GUEST OF PRESIDENT PRESIDENT REAGAN AND REAGAN AND PRESIDENT-ELECT PRESIDENT-ELECT BUSH IN NEW BUSH IN NEW YORK AT TIME OF YORK AT TIME OF QUAKE QUAKE
SOME SOME 70 70 COUNTRIES COUNTRIES SENT SENT PEOPLE AND PEOPLE AND SUPPLIESSUPPLIES
USA SENT MEDICAL USA SENT MEDICAL AND TECHNICAL AND TECHNICAL SPECIALISTS SPECIALISTS IMMEDIATELYIMMEDIATELY
SOME SOME 70 70 COUNTRIES COUNTRIES SENT SENT PEOPLE AND PEOPLE AND SUPPLIESSUPPLIES
USA SENT MEDICAL USA SENT MEDICAL AND TECHNICAL AND TECHNICAL SPECIALISTS SPECIALISTS IMMEDIATELYIMMEDIATELY
A HISTORICAL NOTE OF A HISTORICAL NOTE OF INTERESTINTEREST
Russian military planes landed Russian military planes landed at USA’s Andrew’s Air Force at USA’s Andrew’s Air Force
base to collect the U.S. teams base to collect the U.S. teams for urgent travel to Armeniafor urgent travel to Armenia
DEBRIS AND TRAFFIC DEBRIS AND TRAFFIC HINDERED EM RESPONSE HINDERED EM RESPONSE
SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: SEARCH SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: SEARCH AND RESCUEAND RESCUE
SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: SEARCH SPITAK EARTHQUAKE: SEARCH AND RESCUEAND RESCUE
LESSONS LEARNED FOR LESSONS LEARNED FOR DISASTER RESILIENCEDISASTER RESILIENCE
ALL NOTABLE ALL NOTABLE EARTHQUAKESEARTHQUAKES
CAPACITY FOR CAPACITY FOR RECOVERY AND RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTIONRECONSTRUCTION IS ESSENTIAL FOR IS ESSENTIAL FOR COMMUNITY COMMUNITY RESILIENCERESILIENCE..
SPITAK EARTHQUAKESPITAK EARTHQUAKESPITAK EARTHQUAKESPITAK EARTHQUAKE
PRESIDENT PRESIDENT REAGAN AND REAGAN AND PRESIDENT-ELECT PRESIDENT-ELECT BUSH PROMISED BUSH PROMISED PRESIDENT PRESIDENT GORBACHAV GORBACHAV IMMEDIATE IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCEASSISTANCE
PRESIDENT PRESIDENT REAGAN AND REAGAN AND PRESIDENT-ELECT PRESIDENT-ELECT BUSH PROMISED BUSH PROMISED PRESIDENT PRESIDENT GORBACHAV GORBACHAV IMMEDIATE IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCEASSISTANCE
USA AND USA AND 70 70 COUNTRIES COUNTRIES SENT SENT PEOPLE AND PEOPLE AND SUPPLIESSUPPLIES
UNESCO HELPED UNESCO HELPED PLAN RECOVERYPLAN RECOVERY
RECONSTRUCTION RECONSTRUCTION COSTS OF ABOUT COSTS OF ABOUT $16 BILLION $16 BILLION
USA AND USA AND 70 70 COUNTRIES COUNTRIES SENT SENT PEOPLE AND PEOPLE AND SUPPLIESSUPPLIES
UNESCO HELPED UNESCO HELPED PLAN RECOVERYPLAN RECOVERY
RECONSTRUCTION RECONSTRUCTION COSTS OF ABOUT COSTS OF ABOUT $16 BILLION $16 BILLION
At least 25,000 dead; several At least 25,000 dead; several thousand injured.thousand injured. More thanMore than 21,000 residences 21,000 residences were destroyed and were destroyed and 700,000 700,000 people people in northern Armenia were in northern Armenia were affected by this event.affected by this event.
IMPACTS: SPITAK EARTHQUAKEIMPACTS: SPITAK EARTHQUAKEIMPACTS: SPITAK EARTHQUAKEIMPACTS: SPITAK EARTHQUAKE
NEW NEW CONCRETE CONCRETE FRAME FRAME BUILDINGS BUILDINGS PERFORMED PERFORMED POORLY POORLY
SCHOOLS SCHOOLS PERFORMED PERFORMED POORLYPOORLY
NEW NEW CONCRETE CONCRETE FRAME FRAME BUILDINGS BUILDINGS PERFORMED PERFORMED POORLY POORLY
SCHOOLS SCHOOLS PERFORMED PERFORMED POORLYPOORLY
AT LEAST AT LEAST 25,000 25,000 KILLEDKILLED
IF THE QUAKE HAD IF THE QUAKE HAD OCCURRED 5 OCCURRED 5 MINUTES LATERMINUTES LATER, , CHILDREN WOULD CHILDREN WOULD HAVE BEEN HAVE BEEN OUTSIDEOUTSIDE THE THE COLLAPSED COLLAPSED SCHOOLS SCHOOLS
AT LEAST AT LEAST 25,000 25,000 KILLEDKILLED
IF THE QUAKE HAD IF THE QUAKE HAD OCCURRED 5 OCCURRED 5 MINUTES LATERMINUTES LATER, , CHILDREN WOULD CHILDREN WOULD HAVE BEEN HAVE BEEN OUTSIDEOUTSIDE THE THE COLLAPSED COLLAPSED SCHOOLS SCHOOLS
WHAT HAS HAPPENEDWHAT HAS HAPPENEDWHAT HAS HAPPENEDWHAT HAS HAPPENED
““BLIND THRUST BLIND THRUST FAULT ZONES” FAULT ZONES” TO BE TO BE AVOIDED AVOIDED
SEISMIC DESIGN SEISMIC DESIGN PROVISIONS WERE PROVISIONS WERE UPGRADEDUPGRADED
THE “NEW” SPITAK IS THE “NEW” SPITAK IS A 4-STORY CITY WITH A 4-STORY CITY WITH MORE ATTENTION TO MORE ATTENTION TO DESIGN DETAILDESIGN DETAIL
““BLIND THRUST BLIND THRUST FAULT ZONES” FAULT ZONES” TO BE TO BE AVOIDED AVOIDED
SEISMIC DESIGN SEISMIC DESIGN PROVISIONS WERE PROVISIONS WERE UPGRADEDUPGRADED
THE “NEW” SPITAK IS THE “NEW” SPITAK IS A 4-STORY CITY WITH A 4-STORY CITY WITH MORE ATTENTION TO MORE ATTENTION TO DESIGN DETAILDESIGN DETAIL
EARTHQUAKE EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING ENGINEERING EMERGED AS A HIGH EMERGED AS A HIGH PRIORITYPRIORITY
THE AMERICAN THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA ARMENIA WAS WAS ESTABLISNED TO ESTABLISNED TO BUILD TECHNICAL BUILD TECHNICAL CAPACITY FOR THE CAPACITY FOR THE FUTURE FUTURE
EARTHQUAKE EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING ENGINEERING EMERGED AS A HIGH EMERGED AS A HIGH PRIORITYPRIORITY
THE AMERICAN THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA ARMENIA WAS WAS ESTABLISNED TO ESTABLISNED TO BUILD TECHNICAL BUILD TECHNICAL CAPACITY FOR THE CAPACITY FOR THE FUTURE FUTURE