The types and causes of earthquake damage to buildings in developing countries since 1990

Abstract

Earthquakes are responsible for considerable amounts of damage in Developing Countries and are responsible for the widespread destruction of buildings. Developing Countries are the most ill equipped at dealing with earthquake disaster. These regions that are already struggling societies, suffer greatly from the effects of building damage, from loss of life to subsequent long term economic regression. This report is a study of earthquake damage to buildings of various types and locations within Developing Countries. Its purpose is to raise awareness of structural inadequacies to dynamic lateral forces. The research achieves this by identifying trends in building inadequacies with a focus on the causes and types of damage through researching reconnaissance reports of significant earthquakes in Developing Countries during the 90's. This report has identified trends in earthquake damage for both the types and causes of damage to buildings. The research found that reconnaissance reports tend to focus on the performance of engineered buildings. The causes of damage cover a broad range with at least one major trend in each of three broad subcategories. The types of damage show a narrower range and show a relationship to the causes of damage. This research suggests that there are clear trends in the occurrence of earthquake damage to buildings. This is also a study of reconnaissance report issues. It considers their relevance, strengths and inadequacies and makes recommendations of possible adaptations for future reports.