Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 3.6 shows a building at the Kuang Fu Elementary School that partially
collapsed. The portion of the building that remained standing is shown in Fig. 3.6. This
portion of the building is immediately adjacent to the surface fault rupture and is located
on the foot wall side of the fault. Note in Fig. 3.6 that the span between the columns was
actually reduced by the fault rupture. In essence, the ground was compressed together
adjacent to the foot wall side of the fault rupture.
●
Wu-His (U-Shi) Bridge:
Figure 3.7 shows damage to the second bridge pier south of
the abutment of the new Wu-His (U-Shi) Bridge in Taiwan. At this site, surface fault
rup turing was observed adjacent to the bridge abutment. Note in Fig. 3.7 that the bridge
pier was literally sheared in half.
●
Retaining wall north of Chung-Hsing (Jung Shing) in Taiwan:
Figure 3.8 shows damage
to a retaining wall and adjacent building. At this site, the surface fault rupture caused both
vertical and horizontal displacement of the retaining wall.
●
Collapsed bridge north of Fengyuen:
Figures 3.9 to 3.11 show three photographs of the
collapse of a bridge just north of Fengyuen, Taiwan. The bridge generally runs in a north-
south direction, with the collapse occurring at the southern portion of the bridge.
The bridge was originally straight and level. The surface fault rupture passes underneath
the bridge and apparently caused the bridge to shorten such that the southern spans were
shoved off their supports. In addition, the fault rupture developed beneath one of the piers,
resulting in its collapse. Note in Fig. 3.11 that there is a waterfall to the east of the bridge. The
fault rupture that runs underneath the bridge caused this displacement and development of the
waterfall. The waterfall is estimated to be about 9 to 10 m (30 to 33 ft) in height.
Figure 3.12 shows a close-up view of the new waterfall created by the surface fault
rupture. This photograph shows the area to the east of the bridge. Apparently the dark
FIGURE 3.7
Close-up view of bridge pier (Wu-His Bridge) damaged by surface fault rupture associated
with the Chi-chi (Taiwan) earthquake on September 21, 1999. (
Photograph from the Taiwan Collection,
EERC, University of California, Berkeley.
)
