Fire Following Earthquake

Abstract

Fires following earthquakes have caused the largest single losses due to earthquakes in the United States and Japan.The problem is very seriously regarded in Japan, but not very seriously considered in the US or other earthquake-prone countries. Yet, the potential for future conflagrations following earthquakes is substantial. Earthquakes in the US in 1983 and 1984 have recently highlighted this problem.The scenario for postearthquake fire must consider structural and non-structural damage, initial and spreading fires, wind, building density, water supply functionality and emergency response. Each of these factors is reviewed in this paper, and an analytical model and preliminary results for San

Effect of earthquake damage on the behaviour of composite steel frames in fire

“…Damage caused by fire following earthquake can be worse than that caused by the earthquake itself (Scawthorn et al, 2005). Recorded experiences indicate that fire following earthquake has caused numerous deaths and extensive losses.…”

“…For example, it was estimated that 80% of total damage and fatalities in the 1906 San Francisco seismic event were caused by fires following the earthquake (Scawthorn, 2008). In the 1923 Tokyo earthquake, the losses due to fire following the earthquake accounted for over 70% of total building losses and resulted in 140,000 deaths (Scawthorn, 2008). More recently, in the 1995 Kobe earthquake, there were approximately 7000 buildings destroyed by fire following earthquake (Faggiano, 2007).…”

“…Recorded experiences indicate that fire following earthquake has caused numerous deaths and extensive losses. For example, it was estimated that 80% of total damage and fatalities in the 1906 San Francisco seismic event were caused by fires following the earthquake (Scawthorn, 2008). In the 1923 Tokyo earthquake, the losses due to fire following the earthquake accounted for over 70% of total building losses and resulted in 140,000 deaths (Scawthorn, 2008).…”

Techniques For Minimizing And Estimating Post-earthquake Fire Losses

“…In the typical situation, off-site public assistance is unlikely because of the expected heavy demands placed on fire departments involving not only fires but also structural damage, search and rescue, hazardous material incidents, and medical aid (Ref. 6). On-site assistance will be minimal during the initial post-earthquake period because of confusion, emergency operational demands, and a need to furnish immediate medical aid to those injured.…”

Seismic Vulnerability in Case of Fire of Existing R.C. Framed Buildings: Modelling and Nonlinear Dynamic Analysis

“…In the conventional aseismic design it is accepted that structures can withstand strong ground motions by mainly undergoing inelastic deformations. Consequently, fire can be a serious problem for a structure that has been partially damaged in a prior seismic event, because fire resistance will decrease [1]. More specifically, the fire response of r.c.…”