KOBE EARTHQUAKE ... ENGINEERING LESSONS LEARNED

The damage created by the Kobe earthquake is estimated to be $200 billion, as compared to $10 billion for the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake (7.1 magnitude), and $30 billion for the Northridge earthquake (6.7 magnitude). This paper is based on the author's two-week post-earthquake volunteer work in Kobe, as well as the assessment of damages published by the Post Earthquake Reconnaissance Team of the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the earthquake damage report by the Hanshin Water Supply Authority.