The impact of the 1994 Northridge earthquake on structural engineering practice

Abstract

AbstractThe 1994 Northridge Earthquake served as a watershed event for many areas of engineering practice. This special issue attempts to address how those changes have impacted the practice of structural and geotechnical engineering, at least in Southern California. Represented within the building stock of Southern California are all materials of construction and structural systems. Geological and geotechnical characteristics found in this area are similarly varied. Thus, the 1994 Northridge Earthquake provided the design professions with a unique opportunity to explore how buildings would respond when subjected to a significant earthquake. On this tenth anniversary of the Northridge earthquake, the authors of the papers in this special issue have looked back on what has been learned since January 17, 1994. They have attempted to distill within a coordinated series of papers how this real‐world test of structural and geotechnical theory has impacted the practice of these professions. The papers address the impact of the Northridge earthquake on: the understanding of the seismological environment in Southern California; the practice of structural engineering design in the areas of reinforced concrete, structural steel, precast concrete, masonry, wood, and selected non‐structural components; and the professional aspects of the engineering disciplines. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.