Geotechnical aspects of the 2007 Niigataken Chuetsu-Oki, Japan earthquake

Abstract

On 16 July 2007, an earthquake of magnitude 6.8 occurred with an epicentre off the west coast of Niigata Prefecture (Japan), causing widespread damage to buildings and other types of civil engineering structures due to ground shaking and earthquake-induced ground failures. Landsliding and soil liquefaction occurred extensively in various parts of the affected region. This paper presents the preliminary results of the post-earthquake damage investigation conducted at the affected areas after the earthquake, with emphasis on the seismic-induced ground failures and their effects on the built environment.