Chile Earthquake Response

Chilean catastrophe. Architects and Engineers can learn a great deal from how buildings and infrastructure perform in earthquakes by visiting earthquake-stricken regions. On Saturday, February 27, 2010 at 3:34 AM, the Maule region of Chile was struck by an 8.8-magnitude earthquake. The M8.8 earthquake and series of 21 aftershocks greater than 6.0 in magnitude affected an area populated by approximately two million people and generated a tsunami that severely impacted Chile’s west coast and was felt across the Pacific Ocean. Recognizing the impacts earthquakes may have on the Pacific Northwest, Reid Middleton had the opportunity to participate with the Structural Engineers Association of Washington (SEAW) reconnaissance team of engineers to observe and evaluate damage in the affected areas.  The metropolitan cities of Concepción and Santiago, the coastal towns of Talcahuano and Constitución, and inland towns including Talca, Chillán, and Maipu were visited to observe the earthquake/tsunami damage, document our observations, and learn from the behavior of high and low performance structures.