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There is an ever-increasing need for a better understanding of regional seismic hazards, particularly in developing parts of the world where major building projects are planned and where there is a huge migration of people to large cities that are at risk from earthquakes. Disasters in recent times, such as the earthquakes in Japan and Haiti, are chilling proof of the dangers of building in active fault zones. This book provides the first worldwide survey of active earthquake faults, with a focus on those described as “seismic time bombs,” with the potential to destroy large cities in the developing world such as Port au Prince, Kabul, Tehran, and Caracas. Leading international earthquake expert, Robert Yeats, explores both the regional and plate-tectonic context of active faults around the world, providing the background for the seismic hazard valuation in planning large-scale projects such as nuclear power plants or hydroelectric dams. He also highlights work done in more advanced seismogenic countries such as Japan, the United States, Italy, New Zealand, and China as helpful examples for developing nations, providing an important basis for upgrading building standards and other laws. In addition to providing a valuable technical summary of active fault zones worldwide, the book presents the human side of earthquake science, exploring the impact of major quakes on social development through history, such as the effect of the 1755 Lisbon earthquake on the Age of Enlightenment. It will form an accessible reference for analysts and consulting firms, and a convenient overview for academics and students of geoscience, geotechnical engineering and civil engineering, and land-use planning.

Written by Administrator (November 2011)