The Spitak earthquake of 7 December 1988 and some problems of engineering seismology

A.Ya. Sidorin

Schmidt Institute of Physics of the Earth, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

e-mail: al_sidorin@hotmail.com

Abstract

In connection with the 30th anniversary of the Spitak earthquake that occurred on December 7, 1988, the article provides a brief overview of information about the parameters of this earthquake, its consequences and some lessons. Attention is focused mainly on the seismological aspects of this event and on some of the problems of engineering seismology that have been highlighted. The possible influence of the Spitak earthquake and its consequences on the further development of seismology and, in particular, engineering seismology is discussed, as well as specific issues of seismic resistant construction are touched upon.

Keywords: Spitak earthquake, earthquake parameters, earthquake source, isoseist map, destruction, resonance phenomena

About the author

SIDORIN Alexander Yakovlevich – Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Head of Laboratory. Schmidt Institute of Physics of the Earth of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 123242, Moscow, ul. Bolshaya Gruzinskaya, 10, building 1. E-mail: sidorin@ifz.ru

Cite this article as: Sidorin A.Ya. The Spitak earthquake of 7 December 1988 and some problems of engineering seismology, Voprosy Inzhenernoi Seismologii (Problems of Engineering Seismology), 2018, Vol. 45, No. 4, pp. 106–118. [in Russian]. DOI: 10.21455/VIS2018.4-7

English translation of the article will be published in Seismic Instruments, ISSN: 0747-9239 (Print) 1934-7871 (Online), https://link.springer.com/journal/11990), 2019, Volume 55, Issue 4.