Lessons from Earthquakes in Recent Times and their Effects on the Development of Geotechnology

Abstract

This paper first reviews the earthquakes that occurred since 1995 and then outlines the significant lessons learnt from disasters. The discussion then goes into the induced development of engineering practices that were triggered by those disasters. It is clear that major development occurred in design philosophies, soil improvement, and facilities for research. The last section of this paper addresses the compound effects of earthquakes and rainfall that may make the extent of the disasters worse. © 2010, The Japanese Geotechnical Society. All rights reserved.