Tangshan Rebuilds after Mammoth Earthquake

by James M. Gere, (F.ASCE), Prof. Civ. Engrg.; Stanford Univ., Stanford, Calif.,
Haresh C. Shah, (M.ASCE), Prof. Civ. Engrg.; Stanford Univ., Stanford, Calif.,


Serial Information: Civil Engineering—ASCE, 1980, Vol. 50, Issue 12, Pg. 47-52


Document Type: Feature article

Abstract:

The City of Tangshan, China was totally devastated in 1976 by a major earthquake. Over 240,000 people were killed in one of history's greatest disasters. The quake had a Richter magnitude of 7.8 and was followed by an aftershock of magnitude 7.1. Loss of lifelines was particularly severe and caused great hardship. In June 1980 the authors became the first U.S. engineers to visit the city since the quake. They inspected the ruins, talked to survivors, and saw the building of a new city. In an amazing construction feat, the Chinese are constructing new apartment buildings to house 700,000 people.

Subject Headings: Earthquakes | Residential buildings | Buildings | Urban areas | Natural disasters | Lifeline systems | Disasters and hazards

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