Observations from the EERI Team
3/10 Arrival at Santiago Airport (SCL). Airport functionality returning. Approximately 1.5 hours to clear customs. Arranged taxi inside terminal. 15,000 pesos (about $30US). Half hour taxi ride to Hotel Neruda. A few signs of earthquake, including settled overpass approaches along route. Meeting at U. Catolica to initiate discussions with Professors Rafael Riddell, Ernesto Cruz, Juan […]
Observations from the EERI Team
Travel to Maipu zone of Santiago. Don Tristan (Figure 4) collapsed and made headlines after the earthquake. Building shown in Figure 1 is nearby very similar building that sustained severe damage and partial collapse of first story. Figure 2 is view toward the collapsed end. Note inclined crack in wall. Figure 3 shows collapsed side […]
Observations on Building Damage
As a result of the Chilean 8.8 magnitude earthquake on February 27, 2010 and the several strong aftershocks, and the ensuing damage experienced in cities like Viña del Mar, Santiago, Rancahua, Talca, Chillán, Los Ángeles, Concepción and Talcahuano, there are several buildings to be demolished: 8 in Concepción, 2 in Talcahuano, 5 in Santiago, 5 […]
Observations from the EERI Steel and Industrial Buildings Team
The team left Santiago early and drove towards Concepcion. Road was in very good condition. We arrived at Las Aldea, just west of Chillan at 12:30PM, where we made a first stop at the Arauco cellulous plant (Figure 1). Made contact with PR personnel but were unable to enter as visits are not permitted at […]
Observations from the EERI Team
3/13/10 Church in central Santiago. Damaged elements at top of spire. Characteristic damage to masonry viewed from inside. Photos 999, 1001, 989 below. Church in central Santiago. View from interior. Characteristic damage. Photos 1004, 1012, 1020 Los Leones building viewed from back. Characteristic wall crushing in first subterranean level. Photos 1048, 1042 3/14/10 Building in Santiago. Damage […]
Photos from the EERI Structural Team
Figure 1. Good conditions with little to no apparent damage in typical buildings around the square in Chillan. Figure 2. Broken glass around […]
Damaged Bridges
Figure 1. Railroad Bridge – single span collapse. Figure 2. Railroad Bridge, permanent offset in rail alignment. Figure 3. Railroad bridge, unseating of girders. Figure 4. UABC Pedestrian Bridge- Support Beam Damage. Figure 5. Pedestrian Bridge-Support Beam Failure. Figure 6. Bridge over Hwy. 2, settlement of slope paving. […]
The El Mayor Cucapah, Baja California Earthquake Reconnaissance Report
Read the Report: The El Mayor Cucapah, Baja California Earthquake Reconnaissance Report (18.4 MB PDF)
First Impressions from New Zealand
The themes of the M7.1 Canterbury earthquake are URMs and liquefaction, with the following qualifications: Christchurch is only in a moderate zone and an M7 at 30 k was not expected. However, the ground motions, for whatever reasons, were in general less than the zoned spectra. While not zero, there was very little structural damage […]
Preliminary Report on Bridge Damage
Regarding this third point, Figure 1a‐c shows the Gayhurst Road bridge over the Avon river in Christchurch, in a neighborhood where extensive soil liquefaction took place. River banks had multiple sand boils, the ground surface exhibited many large open cracks due to lateral spreading of the soil, and many residential homes suffered extensive damage due […]