ABSTRACT
Earthquakes give rise to dynamic loads that have a high potential for disastrous consequences for structures, as well as humans. There are different ways in which structures are affected by earthquakes, the vibration of the ground being the most common, but not the only one. Other earthquake effects, not specifically addressed in this chapter, are ground failures such as liquefaction (loss of strength in silt or sand layers due to build-up of pore water pressure), landslides and mudflows (usually triggered by liquefaction); further effects include sea waves (tsunamis) and lake waves (seiches). By far, most of the damage due to earthquakes is caused by the ground motion, but other effects can also be quite devastating, as shown, for instance, by the July 1998 tsunami that hit the coast of Papua-New Guinea, causing over 2,000 deaths and complete destruction of the villages near the coast.
