All about Earthquake Engineering

(Earthquakes, Earthquake Engineering, Seismic Hazard, Seismic Risk)

"...Earthquakes systematically bring out the mistakes made in design and construction - even the most minutes mistakes; it is this aspect of earthquake engineering that makes it challenging and fascinating, and gives it an educational value far beyond its immediate objectives..."

My best wishes for a happy new year 1997

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Applied Technology Council (ATC).

ATC is a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation established in 1971 through the efforts of the Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC). ATC's mission is to assist the design practitioner in structural engineering (and related design specialty fields such as soils, wind, and earthquake) in the task of keeping abreast of and effectively using technological developments. ATC also identifies and encourages needed research and develops consensus opinions on structural engineering issues in a nonproprietary format. ATC thereby fulfills a unique role in funded information transfer. E-mail to: ATC

Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG).

ABAG is the regional planning agency for the San Francisco Bay Area. It offers a number of publications related to erathquake planning, as well as training classes and technical assistance to local government and bussinesses. A key feature of this site are earthquake hazard maps for scenario earthquakes in the San francisco Bay Area. E-mail to: ABAG

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Stanford University - John A. Blume Earthquake Engineering Center .

The John A. Blume Earthquake Engineering Center is located in Building 540 on the Stanford University campus. The center was established in 1974 as part of the Department of Civil Engineering to promote research and education in earthquake engineering. The Blume Center conducts research, provides instruction, publishes reports and articles, conducts seminars and conferences, and provides partial financial support for students. Researchers have done pioneering work on many aspects of earthquake engineering, in seismic hazard and risk analysis, earthquake occurrence and ground motion modeling, component and system reliability, experimental research on structures and components, evaluation of damage potential of ground motions, and development of seismic design methodologies.

Bridge Engineering (BE).

Provide links to most if not all materials on the Internet relating to bridge engineering. The page also announces upcoming events. Links include State Government Agencies, Universities & Research Institutions, Associations, and Businesses. Also provides links to software and exhibits containing bridge images.

The National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS/BSSC).

NIBS is a non-governmental, non-profit organization established by the Congress to serve the public interest by promoting a more rational regulatory environment for the building community, by facilitating the introduction of new and innovative technology, and disseminating nationally recognized technical information. A part of NIBS is the Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC). The Building Seismic Safety Council is a nonprofit, independent, voluntary membership body representing a wide variety of building community interests (see pages 15-16 for a current membership list). Its fundamental purpose is to enhance public safety by providing a national forum that fosters improved seismic safety provisions for use by the building community in the planning, design, construction, regulation, and utilization of buildings. E-mail to: BSSC

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Canadian Association for Earthquake Engineering (CAEE).

The Canadian Association for Earthquake Engineering/l'Association Canadienne du Gιnie Seismique (CAEE/ACGS) is a federally incorporated non-profit organization with offices situated in Vancouver and housed in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of British Columbia. The primary objective of CAEE/ACGS is to foster earthquake engineering practice and research in Canada. To meet this overall aim, CAEE/ACGS has initiated a communication network for earthquake engineering practice and research activities in Canada, sponsors national earthquake engineering meetings, encourages and facilitates the application of research into engineering practice and is the national organization representing Canada on the International Association for Earthquake Engineering, the world's parent body of the national associations of its member countries.

Center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI), University of Memphis

This site provides background information on CERI and its faculty, staff and students. It describes research activities and facilities at CERI, as well its Central Region Earthquake Emergency Response Program. It features a variety of seismic information including: "Seismograms of the Month"; Maps (updated every 2 hours); Event Lists of earthquakes recorded by the New Madrid Seismic Network; Weekly Earthquake Summaries, etc. The site offers interactive database searching of both the New Madrid and NCEER Earthquake Catalogs. The CERI site also offers materials for the non-specialist. Topics include: Earthquake hazard in the Central US; How to Survive an Earthquake; Earthquake Myths and Folklore; and a study of the Seismic Vulnerability of the University of Memphis Campus.

Canadian Geological Survey, Canadian National Earthquake Hazards Program (CNSM).

Includes tutorials on basic topics in seismology and earthquake preparedness, a summary of 20th century earthquakes and seismicity in Canada, a description of the Canadian National Seismograph Network (CNSM). Features summaries of earthquakes in both eastern Canada and British Columbia which include detailed epicenter maps, satellite imagery, diagrams of plate tectonics, tables and text. Also, offers a listing of about twenty-five of the most recent Canadian earthquakes with epicenter maps and information concerning time, date, magnitude, location etc. Interactive map searching by geographical quadrants. Retrospective earthquake listings for Canada. Continent-wide CNSM hourly seismic recordings. Interactive query of the Canadian National Earthquake Database.

California Seismic Safety Commission (CSSC)

Web Site of the California Seismic Safety Commission, a state agency advising governor, legislature, and public on earthquake policy. The commission attempts to promote cost-effective measures that lower earthquake risks to life and property. This site includes an introduction to the commission, a list of upcoming meetings, descriptions of new and pending legislation, a catalog of publications available from the SSC, an introduction to "California at Risk" - the commission's 5-year seismic risk reduction plan, and other useful earthquake hazard mitigation information.

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) - International Data Center (IDC).

IDC began within the Conference on Disarmament (CD) in Geneva, Switzerland in January 1993. The negotiators quickly identified the IDC as a central element of an effective verification regime. The US Department of Defense has been tasked to spearhead an international effort to develop a prototype IDC as a means of (a) supporting the negotiations, (b) testing new concepts necessary for effective global monitoring, (c) establishing an infrastructure for cooperative, international verification of a CTBT, and (d) providing the foundation for the future CTBT IDC. The overview provides the concepts to which we are prototyping, and a status report on our progress. It is believed that this concepts is flexible enough to accommodate requirements likely to emerge from the negotiations; requirements that in part will be based on the experience gained from development and testing of this prototype IDC.

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Earthaquake Engineering Abstracts (EEA).

Earthaquake Engineering Abstracts is a bibligraphic database...

Earthquake Engineering Research Center (EERC).

EERC is an organized research unit of the University of California, Berkeley dedicated to research, education, and dissemination of technical information in earthquake engineering. The Center was founded in 1967 and continues today as a world focal point for activities in the field of earthquake hazard mitigation. The EERC Library has a collection of over 30,000 items including: research reports, technical journals, conference proceedings, monographs, slides, photographs, videocassettes, and maps. National Information Service for Earthquake Engineering (NISEE) is a public service project supported by the National Science Foundation,provides extensive public information including: Computer Software for Earthquake Engineering; Earthquake Engineering Abstracts; Earthquakes and the Build Environment (CD-Rom by NISC); Earthquake Information Gopher; Earthquake Engineering Research Center News and Report Series. Earthquake Image Information System (EqIIS) more than 8,000 images from more than 80 earthquakes are available through an information system developed with support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in cooperation with the University of California Museum Informatics Project. E-mail to: EERC

Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI)

This site provides current information on the EERI, including committee activities and meetings, EERI-sponsored forums, activities of EERI regional chapters, and various other events sponsored by EERI. It provides direct e-mail links for EERI staff, forum chairs and chapters. A "timely information" section offers calls for abstracts, fellowship notices, etc. The site also offers the valuable full-texts of recent postearthquake reconnaissance reports published as part of EERI's Learning from Earthquakes Project. Another section lists EERI Publications and audiovisual materials. Links to other sites are highly selective, and at this time include only the homepages of EERC, NCEER and the SAC project.

Earthquake Engineering Research Library (EERL)

Earthquake Engineering Research Library at California Institute of Technology (Caltech) provides storng-motion accelerogram data, technical reports, slides and videotapes of earthquake damage and structural engineering topics as well as conference proceedings and technical series. E-mail to: EERL

Emergency Preparedness Information eXchange (EPIX)

Provides many links to other emergency management sites. Well organized by subject category: emergency/disaster management, emergency communications, school emergency preparedness, disaster insurance, search and rescue, hazardous materials incidents, International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, earthquakes, fires, floods. Also, lists upcoming conferences in emergency and disaster management, hazards alerts, and field reports on current emergency and disaster situations. Includes a link to an electronic version of the Disaster Recovery Journal. Contents keyword search. Specialized information on emergency preparedness in Canada.

EQE International

Contains descriptions of EQE areas of expertise and information on specific projects. Describes EQECAT, a catastrophe management consulting service for the insurance industry and USQUAKE earthquake modeling software. Introduces current research and development projects in risk analysis. Includes electronic versions of EQE Review, EQE Disaster Reconnaissance Reports and the EQE Home Preparedness Guide. Also contains news on recent natural hazards. Provides general information about EQE, a leading earthquake engineering consultancy, including current job openings.

Earthquake Resource Center (ERC)

A good starting point for general earthquake information. Includes links arranged in these subtopics: Good Sites for Learning about Earthquakes; Eyewitness Accounts of Earthquakes; Earthquake Pictures; Slides, Films, Maps, and other Materials; Movers and Shakers (researchers and writers); Latest Tremor Reports; News about Recent Large Quakes; The Kobe Earthquake; Other Significant Earthquakes; Earthquake Research Centers and Projects; Academic Sites and Seismology Departments; Disaster Preparedness and Relief; and Related Topics.

Earthquake Spectra Abstracts (ESA)

Search the abstract database by matching criteria with the three fields below or any of their combinations.

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Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Provides a well-organized overview of FEMA's activities, publications and services: What FEMA is, What it does, Preparing for Disasters, Help after a Disaster, I Want to Know (General Facts about Disasters and Disaster Relief), Library, News Desk. Lists of FEMA publications and recent "issues" of an online Disaster Recovery newsletter, jointly produce by FEMA and the California OES. Points to full-text FEMA documents available on-line. Also offers images files. Overviews of FEMA's Disaster Assistance Program. Advice on preparing for all types of natural and technological disasters. Advice on obtaining specific types of aid after a disaster, such where to obtain food and water. Lists important contacts, FEMA regional offices. Features a good master index.

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National Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (NCEER)

NCEER's mission is to emphasize the nationwide threat of earthquakes and to advance the practices of engineering, planning and preparedness to minimize the damaging effects that earthquakes have on buildings, infrastructure and socioeconomic systems.This site includes information about NCEER, about publications from NCEER, QUAKELINE a fast, interactive bibliographic database searching. E-mail to: NCEER.

Northern California Earthquake Data Center (NCEDC).

NCEDC is a joint project of the University of California at Berkeley (UCB) Seismographic Stationand the United States Geological Survey (USGS) at Menlo Park. The NCEDC is a long-term archive and distribution center for seismological and geodetic data for Northern and Central California. The NCEDC is partially supported by funding from the USGS component of NEHRP (National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program).

Newcastle Earthquake Database (NEDB)

Bibliographic database that covers all available information on the 1989 Newcastle, Australia earthquake. Includes primary data, published and unpublished information, images, etc. relating to the earthquake, and to subsequent disaster recovery in Newcastle. The database provides complete bibliographic citations and informative abstracts. When available, full text documents included. Currently, the database contains 2,000 citations with abstracts, and 400 documents in full text.

National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP).

NEHRP was established by the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977, Public Law 95-124, bringing many different efforts together into a cohesive national program. The basic objectives specified in the Act are: a) Conduct earthquake hazard-identification and vulnerability analyses. b) Develop seismic design and construction standards. c)Develop an earthquake prediction capability. d) Prepare plans for mitigation, preparedness, and response activities. e) Conduct fundamental and applied research into the causes and implications of earthquake hazards. f) Educate the public about earthquakes hazards.

National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC), Earthquake Data and Publications

Provides descriptions of and access to the NGDC's many products and voluminous data collections related to earthquakes: the Worldwide Earthquake database, Significant Earthquakes database, Earthquake Intensity Database, and Seismological Computer Algorithms, Worldwide Strong Motion Data Archive, Earthquake Slide Sets and Seismographs Station Bulletins. Users can order digital data sets, slides sets, cd-roms, software, and publications. They can also download the Significant and Worldwide Earthquake Databases, along with NGDC's GEO-VU browser. The site offers forms-based queries and orders. E-mail to: NGDC

Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center, University of Colorado, Boulder (NHRAIC)

Provides background information on the Center, including its research program, library services and facilities, and annual workshop. Features recent issues of DR, an electronic newsletter and bulletin board. List of the Center's publications. Offers subscription to the print newsletter Natural Hazards Observer.

National Institute for Urban Search and Rescue (NIUSR)

Provides background information on NIUSR, its history, its "Vision 2000" Mission Statement, electronic version of Press On!, NIUSR's newsletter, back issues of the newsletter.

National Science Foundation (NSF)

Provides an Overview of the National Science Foundation. Organizational and staff directories. Program deadlines. Listings of NSF grant opportunities. Access to full-text of NSF publications. Also offered are recent issues of the Frontiers newsletter, selected conference announcements, the NSF Grant Policy Manual, and Grant Proposal Guide. Grant proposal forms are offered in a variety of electronic formats. This site also features the STIS searching utility for use in accessing the NSF publications database.

U.S. Geological Survey National Strong Motion Program (NSMP)

NSMP mission statement, organizational summary, news. Seismological summaries of recent events. List of NSMP stations. Information on NSMP Annual catalogs of strong motion records, where to access them via FTP. Provides descriptions of digitized strong motion data sets, and instructions for receiving via ftp. Similarly, extensive documentation on the Basic Accelerogram Processing (BAP) Software, and it availability.

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Ottawa Carleton Earthquake Engineering Research Center (OCEERC)

The Center's objectives in research, technology development and education in earthquake engineering, especially its structural and geotechnical aspects. The site describes the mission, activities and resources of the Center. It also provides links to the homepages of members and highlights their main areas of research.

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Surfing the Internet for Earthquake Data

A list of Internet type connections where original seismic data or seismic research information is available, provided by Steve Malone.

Southern California Earthquake Center Data Center (SCEC).

SCEC is the primary archive and distribution center of seismological data recorded by the Southern California Seismic Network (SCSN), TERRAscopeand various Portable Seismic Instrument Arrays. Global Positioning System Data collected by SCEC, or contributed to the archive by organizations such as the U.S. Geological Survey, is also archived and available here. The SCEC_DC is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC)

Includes basic information about SEAOC, an organization influential in the setting of U.S. seismic design standards. Includes SEAOC committee reports, an earthquake hazard map. Links to other earthquake engineering sites. Lists of government agencies and software sources.

San Francisco Bay Hazards Maps (SFBHM)

Interactive call-up of over 80 full-color seismic hazards maps of communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Maps show the intensity of ground shaking anticipated as a result of earthquakes striking along any of ten major faults. Intensity distributions are superimposed on street grids. Ordering information for paper copies of these maps. Additional documentation on earthquake magnitude, earthquake intensity, Mercalli Scale, the seismic hazard of the Bay Area and earthquake disaster preparedness for individuals, families, communities, etc. Links to other earthquake-related sites.

The Strong Motion Data Base (SMDB)

SMDB is a database developed at the Institute for Crustal Studies (ICS), University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), to provide a fast and easy access to strong-motion data for Southern California. SMDB contains the parameters of 93 earthquakes, 567 stations and 3182 components, and it is being continuously updated with new information.

Seismological Society of America (SSA)

This sites provides news and announcements of interest to SSA members, or of general seismological interest. It offers some background material on the society and its purpose. It provides directories of members, officers, staff; and lists changes of address. It also offers an up-to-date listing of upcoming meeting sponsored by the society. This site also offers table of contents from recent issues of the SSA's two major scientific journals: Bulletin of the SSA, and Seismological Research Letters. The site also features extensive listings of educational resources for laymen, teachers and student. These listings include citations to texts, videos, slides, maps, software, databases and multimedia products, as well as plans for building home seismometers. Links to other Web sites are also provided.

STRONGMO Database

NCEER's Strong Motion Database, located at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, contains free-field earthquake strong motion recordings, available through interactive searching, with a variety of menu-driven functions to extract both parametric and time-series data from a relational database.

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University of Bristol - Earthquake Engineering Research Centre (UNBRISTOL)

Research in earthquake engineering at Bristol University started in 1958 when Professor Roy Severn was engaged by the Arch Dams Research Committee of the Institution of Civil Engineers to develop analytical techniques to predict the seismic response of arch dams. Since then, the Bristol Earthquake Engineering Research Group has grown to be the largest of its kind in the UK. In 1988 it formally became the Earthquake Engineering Research Centre (EERC), a University Research Centre. At the same time the University set up an independent company, Bristol Earthquake and Engineering Laboratory Ltd (BEELAB), to manage and market commercial activities in the EERC and the Department. The EERC currently has three full-time academic staff, one research fellow, twelve research assistants and postgraduates and two support staff.

University of Notre Dame Structural Dynamics and Control Lab (UNND).

The Structural Dynamics and Control/Earthquake Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame was established in 1991 by Profs. B. F. Spencer, Jr. and M.K. Sain as part of an interdisciplinary effort between the Department of Civil Engineering and Geological Sciences and the Department of Electrical Engineering. The laboratory houses a uniaxial earthquake simulator that was designed at Notre Dame and built in a local machine shop. The capabilities of the simulator are: maximum displacement of +/- 5.1 cm., maximum velocity +/- 35 cm./sec. and maximum acceleration +/- 4 g's with a 455 kg. test load. The nominal operational frequency range of the simulator is 0-50 Hz. This facility has a variety of high quality sensors/actuators and a complete computer control/data acquisition system that is connected to the University computer network. This facility makes it possible to experimentally verify response reduction strategies developed at Notre Dame, so that the most promising can be submitted to larger facilities for further verification.

Nevada Seismological Labratory at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNRSL)

A well-maintained and highly developed site, with three main sections: Earthquake Information, Lab Personnel, and Lab Resources. Among other things, Earthquake information includes: A Map and List of Earthquakes recent recorded by UNRSL, Rapid Locations and Maps from the Nevada Broadcast of Earthquakes, The last week's Seismo-Watch for Reno, and the UNRSL Earthquake Record of the Day (or Week). The Lab Resources page is quite rich in data and features. It includes: Recent Publications of Lab Staff, Research Projects at the Lab, Interactive Searching of UNRSL Earthquake Catalogs, An Anonymous FTP Archive of Seismic Data and a link to The Guerrero Accelerograph Network.

University of Tokyo - Earthquake Research Institute (UNTOKYO)

U.S. Geological Survey, National Earthquake Information Center (USGS)

The National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC), a part of the Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, is located in Golden, Colorado, 10 miles west of Denver. The NEIC has three main missions. First, the NEIC determines, as rapidly and as accurately as possible, the location and size of all destructive earthquakes that occur worldwide. The NEIC disseminates this information immediately to concerned national and international agencies, scientists, and the general public. Second, the NEIC collects and provides to scientists and to the public an extensive seismic database that serves as a solid foundation for scientific research, principally through the operation of modern digital national and global seismograph networks and through cooperative international agreements. The NEIC is the national data center and archive for earthquake information. Third, the NEIC pursues an active research program to improve its ability to locate earthquakes and to understand the earthquake mechanism. These efforts are all aimed at mitigating the risks of earthquakes to mankind; and they are made possible by the fine international cooperation that has long characterized the science of seismology. E-mail to: USGS.

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Western States Seismic Policy Council(WSSPC)

Offers background information on the WSSPC, mission statement, list of sponsors, membership information, calendar of upcoming WSSPC events. Also provides a Catalog of Member States' Earthquake Preparedness and Hazard Mitigation Products, an annotated listing of over 500 publications, videos, flyers, etc. Links to member states' earthquake preparedness resources on the Internet.