ABSTRACT
The Samos Island (Aegean Sea) Earthquake occurred on 30 October 2020. It produced a tsunami that impacted coastal communities, ground shaking that was locally amplified in some areas and that led to collapse of structures with 118 fatalities in both Greece and Turkey, and wide-ranging geotechnical effects including rockfalls, landsliding, and liquefaction. As a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the reconnaissance of this event did not involve the deployment of international teams, as would be typical for an event of this size. Instead, following initial deployments of separate Greek and Turkish teams, the reconnaissance and documentation efforts were managed in a coordinated manner with the assistance of international partners. This coordination ultimately produced a multi-agency joint report published on the 2-month anniversary of the earthquake, and this special issue. This paper provides an overview of the reconnaissance activities undertaken to document the effects of this important event and summarizes key lessons spanning topic areas from seismology to emergency response.
ABSTRACT
Linear and non-linear analytical studies were conducted for evaluating the performance of the southbound separatin and overhead bridge at the SR14/15 interchange during the Northridge earthquake of January 17, 1994. The analyses are focused on potential implications of the spatial variability of ground motion on the collapse of the structure. The influences of vertical ground motion, soil-structure interaction and non-linear contact effects at the expansion joints and abutments, are also examined. The parameter studies help to determine some of the causes of collapse and offer insight on the complex seismic behavior of long multi-span concrete bridges. (AU)
