Geotechnical Engineering Reconnaissance
following the September 19th, 2017 Puebla-Mexico City Earthquake

A Collaborative UNAM-GEER Webinar
April 19, 2018 | Noon - 1:30pm PT

The intraslab subduction zone earthquake of moment magnitude 7.1, which occurred on September 19, 2017 significantly impacted Mexico City and the surrounding states of Morelos and Puebla. The event was recorded by over 80 strong ground motion instruments located in Mexico, and produced strong ground motions that exceeded an intensity level VII in Mexico City and Puebla according to the Modified Mercalli Index (MMI). Immediately following the September 19 event, a joint geotechnical engineering reconnaissance effort was organized between the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and the Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance Association (GEER), which is sponsored by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). Two UNAM-GEER research teams were sent to the region to investigate and document the effects from the earthquake. The teams utilized advanced remote sensing (low altitude unmanned aerial vehicles) and seismic testing immediately after the event to document important damaged and undamaged regions. Researchers from these teams are hosting a webinar to share findings and discuss geotechnical implications and future research from this collaborative field investigation.

Topics to be covered in the webinar include the following:

  1. Introduction to the event and scope of the overall UNAM-GEER effort
  2. Seismological environment of Mexico, ground motions from this and past events
  3. Site response and impact on foundations
  4. Impacts on buildings, case histories of interest and local damage maps
  5. Concluding remarks and follow-up studies
  6. Open discussion (Q/A)

Speakers

Juan Manuel Mayoral Villa, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM team leader)

Domniki Asimaki, California Institute of Technology (GEER Main team)

Kevin W. Franke, Brigham Young University (GEER Advance team leader)

Tara C. Hutchinson, University of California, San Diego (GEER Main team leader)

Webinar Registration