The Spitak earthquake of 7 desember 1988: main seismological characteristics and analysis of its destructive effects (to the thirty years after the earthquake)

Authors:  
Rubric:     Seismic risk and damage   
Annotation:

December 7, 1988 in the Northern regions of the Republic ofArmenia there was a strong earthquake, which later became known as the Spitak earthquake. It caused massive destruction of buildings and structures, caused great material damage to the country and claimed the lives of thousands of people. After 30 years, the lessons of the Spitak earthquake are still instructive, both for the engineering community and for the common man in the street. A detailed scientific account of all the features and consequences of the Spitak earthquake is given in this article.

Unfortunately, there are very few instrumental records of the Spitak earthquake. The article provides an analysis of the few accelerograms of the earthquake, which were registered both at seismic stations of the former USSR and abroad. Presented and analyzed the geophysical and energy characteristics of the focus of earthquakes, foreshocks and aftershocks of the seismic event.

The earthquake in the epicentral zone caused significant geotechnical changes on the Earth’s surface in the form of dislocations, landslides, landslides, ledges, cracks, falling large volumes of rock, soil liquefaction, destruction of the railway track. The results of studies to assess the impact of local soil conditions on the strengthening or weakening of the level of concussion of soils.

The article presents a method of instrumental assessment of the degree of damage to buildings after the earthquake, regulated by the norms of earthquake-resistant construction in Armenia. The method is based on the ratio of periods of oscillation of damaged and undamaged buildings.

The article also discusses the socio-economic consequences of the Spitak earthquake, and describes the great assistance provided by the international community to the Armenian people in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake, the feats shown by thousands of doctors, rescuers, pilots, drivers, builders and workers.