Typical damage pattern of better quality URM buildings in downtown L’Aquila consisted of generalized cracking of the masonry walls, especially between openings and in corners, leading to loss of the superficial plaster.

Better construction quality and recently retrofitted buildings downtown L’Aquila suffered minor or no damage.

Several displayed cross-ties (catene in Italian).

The concrete shows an anomalous distribution of fine aggregates and cement, yielding a mix of larger aggregates without a dense cohesive matrix. [Photo: Guillermo Franco]

Pancake collapse of third story over the second story in a four story building downtown L’Aquila. [Photo: Guillermo Franco]

Classical example of pounding between two adjacent buildings downtown L’Aquila. [Photo: Guillermo Franco]

Via degli Angeli in Paganica, typical of many towns built with level streets parallel to the hillside and short steep streets connecting them.

Destroyed church and neighboring homes in San Gregorio, with earthquake victim searching for possessions.

In the San Salvatore Hospital, the main hospital in the L’Aquila province, damage occurred to a few concrete columns in three of its many buildings.

San Salvatore Hospital: Occasional interior damage & falling hazards at stairway due to poor seismic joint detailing. Thick heavy plaster over joint. Similar poor joint detailing widespread at exterior veneer.

San Salvatore Hospital: Occasional instances of fallen unsecured medical equipment, yet damage to this nonstructural content was limited and not likely a significant operational factor

Newly built one-story RC schoolbuilding in Onna with no evident damage; structures on the opposite side of the street suffered partial or complete collapse.

The damage observed to industrial facilities in the area around l’Aquila was mainly to non-structural elements (e.g., partitions and ceiling tiles) and to contents.

Failure of roof interior panels and insulation in an industrial facility.

At a manufacturing plant, three tall steel silos, storing polypropylene beads, that were full during the earthquake either collapsed or suffered extensive damage.

The silos also crumpled at their bases.

Collapsed bridge, over the river Aterno near Fossa, of reinforced concrete construction, with three continuous spans. The collapse was likely induced by failure of the columns.

Damaged bridge close to Onna, of same design as collapsed bridge near Fossa, showed evidence of damage in the column hinge.

Closed exit of Provincial Route 38, from L'Aquila to Avezzano.

Along the road to Fossa, minor slide at road embankment, though still retained by the wire protection.

Hotel Montana

Ministry of Agriculture

St. Francois de Sale Hospital, interior scene

Port

U.N. Annex building, interior

U.N. Annex building, exterior

St. Francois de Sale Hospital, exterior

Delmas Boys' School, exterior

Hillside Construction

Institut St. Paul Primary School

Delmas Boys' School, interior

Within the inundation zone most all of the wood framed residences were leveled down to the foundation.

Many of the low lying villages have churches near and facing the ocean. The typical construction is a combination of concrete frames and CMU (concrete masonry unit) infill. There were several examples of the tsunami waters entering the churches through the front door and flowing out the windows along the sides of the church. While doors, windows and interior furniture were damaged the structures did not appear to have any distress from the hydrostatic loading. This picture shows the pews having been ripped from the slab as the tsunami waters rushed through the church.

In addition to the damage from the tsunami waters there were examples of large localized damage to buildings from floating debris, typically vehicles and empty shipping containers.

While most CMU (concrete masonry unit) buildings withstood the tsunami waters there were poorly constructed CMU buildings that did not fare well. The house in this picture was leveled to its foundation while other nearby masonry buildings survived. Many of the block cells in the walls of this CMU building were not grouted, including many of the cells that had reinforcing steel in them.

There did not appear to be much, if any, damage from the seismic event. This school, located out of the inundation zone, however exhibited some odd horizontal cracking along the top reinforcing steel in concrete frame members. This may be due to some pre-existing corrosion or construction issue that had been aggravated by the ground motion of the earthquake.

This CMU (concrete masonry unit) building withstood most of the force of the tsunami waters except for an area at the back of the residence. It appears that there was some scouring of the foundation that may have weakened the connection of the CMU walls at their base. The force of the water passing through the house and trying to exit through small window openings would have created large forces on this wall.

Collapsed adobe-wood building in epicenter area

Collapse of exterior adobe wall

Collapse of exterior adobe wall

Damage of adobe buildings

Damage of brick school building

Damage of brick school building

Damaged building, Bailu, Wenchuan 2008 [photo: V. Cedillos, Project Manager, GeoHazards Intl]

Ground settlement in Bailu, Wenchuan 2008 [photo: V Cedillos, GeoHazards Intl]

Fault rupture at Bailu Middle School did little damage to new building (left), Wenchuan 2008 [photo: M Lew]

Temporary housing in Bailu, Wenchuan 2008 [photo: V Cedillos, GeoHazards Intl]

Timber lace construction, Bailu, Wenchuan 2008 [photo: V Cedillos, GeoHazards Intl]

Bridge, Wenchuan 2008 [photo: M Lew]

Collapsed spans of reinforced concrete arch bridge, Xiao Yu Dong [photo: Build Change]

GaoYuan Bridge [photo: Build Change]

Han Wang High School shear wall, external view [photo: Build Change]

Adjacent bldgs may have averted collapse of 5-story masonry bldg in Dujiangyan [photo: Build Change]

Ground floor column failure (see previous image) [photo: Build Change]

6-story unreinforced masonry bldg with precast concrete plank floors, Dujiangyan [photo: Build Change]

Precast concrete plank rubble, collapsed unreinforced masonry bldg, Dujiangyan [photo: Build Change]

Damaged multistory building, Dujiangyan, Wenchuan [photo: V Cedillos, GeoHazards Intl]

Damaged 6-story residential bldg, Dujiangyan, Wenchuan 2008 [photo: M Lew]

Temporary housing, Dujiangyan, Wenchuan 2008 [photo: V Cedillos, GeoHazards Intl]

Dujiangyan Shelter, Wenchuan 2008 [photo: M Lew]

Shelter in Dujiangyan, Wenchuan 2008 [photo: M Lew]

Reconnaissance team near Gaoyuan Village, Wenchuan 2008 [photo: M Lew]

Damaged buildings at Lidui Park, Wenchuan 2008 [photo: M Lew]

Residential building, Phoenix Lane, Wenchuan 2008 [photo: M Lew]

Shenxigou, Wenchuan 2008 [photo: M Lew]

Tonji Middle School, Wenchuan 2008 [photo: M Lew]

Xiaoyudong Bridge damaged by fault rupture thrusting abutment, Wenchuan 2008 [photo: M Lew]

Collapse of bldgs straddling fault running through town of Xiaoyudong, Wenchuan 2008 [photo: M Lew]

Damaged aluminum plant at Xuankou, Wenchuan 2008 [photo: M Lew]

Landslide in Yinchanggou, Wenchuan 2008 [photo: M Lew]

Damaged building in Yingxiu, Wenchuan 2008 [photo: M Lew]

Interview with local colleague in Yingxiu, Wenchuan 2008 [photo: M Lew]

Extensive damage in Yingxiu, Wenchuan 2008 [photo: M Lew]

Church in town of Santa Cruz Analquito not damaged at all in January and seriously damaged in February

Seriously damaged church in Sonsonate

View of a destroyed adobe house in Candelaria

Damage to house in Cojutepeque

Significant lateral spreading on banks of Rio Lempa

Corroded pilings at the Port of Triunfo fell during the earthquake