November 16, 1999
Earthquake engineers gather at UW for briefing on Taiwan temblor, discussion of safety issues and implications for the Seattle area
Who:
A team of engineers from the Structural Engineers Association of Washington (SEAW) who visited Taiwan after September’s magnitude 7.6 earthquake
What:
A briefing on their observations and implications for the Pacific Northwest
When:
Tomorrow, Nov. 17, from 4-8 p.m.
Where:
Kane Hall 120, on the University of Washington campus
Details:
A reconnaissance team of Washington engineers who visited Taiwan after the devastating Sept. 21 earthquake to observe and evaluate damage will present their findings and discuss lessons learned during a briefing at the University of Washington. The magnitude 7.6 earthquake and the more than 9,000 aftershocks that followed resulted in more than 2,200 deaths and 8,700 injuries. The temblor had an impact on structures across the island – approximately 9,900 buildings collapsed and another 7,600 were damaged. Numerous bridges collapsed or were heavily damaged and power and water systems were disrupted. Recognizing the technical implications that the disaster could have for the Seattle area, SEAW formed the reconnaissance team to do a first-hand assessment of damage and structure performance. Topics to be covered at the briefing include seismic vulnerability, geotechnical considerations, lifelines, port and industrial facilities, highway and bridge damage, building performance and building safety and inspection. SEAW and the UW Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering are jointly sponsoring the event.
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For more information, contact Dave Swanson, reconnaissance team leader, at (425) 741-3800 or SEAW at (206) 682-6026 (answering service), seaw@seaw.org or visit their Web site at http://seaw@seaw.org/default.asp?page=events.
