The 1985 Chile earthquake: observations on earthquake-resistant construction in Vina del Mar

Abstract

On 3 March 1985, a major earthquake occurred near the coast of central Chile. The resort city of Vina del Mar is of particular interest from an engineering standpoint because approximately 400 moderate-rise reinforced concrete buildings and a strong-motion instrument were located in the city. The geology and seismicity of the Vina del Mar region, the development of seismic design provisions in Chile, and the ground motion records from the 1985 earthquake are described in the report. The structural characteristics of and damage in thirteen reinforced concrete buildings in Vina del Mar and Valparaiso are also described.National Science Foundation Research Grants ECE 86-03789, ECE 86-03624, and ECE 0608