The duration time was about Ten seconds, the Amplitude was about 50 cm. But the earth quake deprived the people of their mostloved family and their lives in 1995 in Kobe. Indeed, the Kobe-Earthquake had imcomparable power than any other earth quake experienced in Japan in 40 years at least.
On the contrary, the Loss of life was minimum because it took place in an very early morning. Because, there were no traffic of railways and very few traffic in road ways. We should not escape from the fact that we had little knowledge about the earth quake. We have little countermeasure for the disaster. Politician, as well as Engineers, should make up their mind that we should overcome the earth quake, no more disaster at all!
The design Practice prevailed at that time was the quake coefficient method. But it was useless toward Kobe shake , the severest class of the earth quake. Since, the quake coefficient method can not describe, nor predict (1)The scattering of the gravel mound used for railways, (2)The motion of the caisson type bulk head. (3)The magnitude of force acting to the sheetpiles, its duration (4)Motion of Rahmen Type structure, or Free-From-Quake Type structure We should now get rid off the quake coefficient method in design practice, and adopt proper method to evaluate the motion and force.
Important Strategy toward the Earthquake
New Design Method reflecting the movement of Quay Wall.