Seismic Behavior of Local Soil and Foundations in Bam City During the 2003 Bam Earthquake in Iran

Following the devastating earthquake disaster in Bam city, Iran, a reconnaissance team was sent to the site. The authors participated in its activities with special emphasis on geotechnical issues. A soil investigation in the city revealed that local soils have su$ciently good properties and cannot be the main source of heavy damage to houses. Because bridges and structures other than buildings experienced minor damage during the same earthquake, it seems that the structural weakness of houses made of masonry and adobe is a major problem. A possible mitigating measure may be to use light materials such as ESP, although consideration has to be given to the local climate and the landscape