Recent Advances in Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering and Microzonation

Book excerpt: Outstanding advances have been achieved on Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering and Microzonation in the last decade mostly due to the increase in the recorded instrumental in-situ data and large number of case studies conducted in analyzing the observed effects during the recent major earthquakes. During the 15th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering held in Istanbul in August 2001, the Technical Committee of Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering, (TC4) of the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering organised a regional seminar on Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Microzonation where an effort has been made to present the recent advances in the field by eminent scientists and researchers. The book idea was first suggested by the participants of this seminar. The purpose of this book as well as of the seminar was to present the broad spectrum of earthquake geotechnical engineering and seismic microzonation including strong ground motion, site characterisation, site effects, liquefaction, seismic microzonation, solid waste landfills and foundation engineering. The subject matter requires multidisciplinary input from different fields of engineering seismology, soil dynamics, geotechnical and structural engineering. The chapters in this book are prepared by some of the distinguished lecturers who took part in the seminar supplemented with contributions of few distinguished experts in the field of earthquake geotechnical engineering. The editor would like to express his gratitude to all authors for their interest and efforts in preparing their manuscripts. Without their enthusiasm and support, it would not have been possible to complete this book.