Damage of Houses and Residential Areas by Niigata Prefecture Earthquakes (Part 1)

The earthquakes of Chuetsu (2004) and Chuetsu offshore (2007) in Niigata Prefecture caused frequent slope failures, landslides and ground liquefaction, and numerous instances of ground-induced damage to houses and residential areas were noted. In many cases, damage from liquefaction occurred not only on reclaimed land in coastal areas but also on residential areas where river channels had been filled. This research investigates the characteristics and propensities of liquefaction damage to houses and residential areas. Case histories of damage are analyzed, and the current state of aseismic capacity evaluations of residential areas in Japan and future issues are reported