Disaster Prevention Planning for the Liquefied Areas during the 921 Earthquake
On September 21, 1999, an earthquake of 7.3 Richter scale centered at Chi Chi Township of Nantou County occurred. The earthquake caused apparent soil liquefaction in central Taiwan that included a total of 13 townships and villages in Taichung County, Changhua County, and Nantou County. Infrastructures such as highways, bridges, hydraulic facilities that included river and ocean levees, harbor facilities, buildings and power systems that are closely related to daily lives have all suffered severe damages. The main objective of this project is to prepare the necessary geotechnical and structural information for the local government and civilians in the disaster areas. The information will serve as important references for government planning and in their rebuild effort so that damages in any future earthquake events can be minimized. A research team consists of principle investigators involved in the “Evaluation of Soil Liquefaction during Chi-Chi Earthquake” research project sponsored by the National Science Council and reputable consulting companies has been assembled for the project. The research effort is divided into five tasks as follows: 1) establishment of a geological database and assessment of liquefaction potential for the project areas, 2) prepare design guidelines for the design of foundations for various types of structures, 3) offer suggestions for strengthening the structures and 4) educate the public to spread the knowledge and offer technical consultation related to structural rehabilitation and safety enhancement.