The Grainger College of Engineering

CEE professor tours Chinese earthquake region

8/4/2010

In May 2008, the Sichuan province in China was struck by a Magnitude-8.0 earthquake, the epicenter of which was near the city of Wenchuan. Two years later, with the recovery efforts complete, the Guangzhou City government invited an international team of earthquake engineering experts to Wenchuan to review their efforts. Bill F. Spencer Jr.,  the Nathan M. and Anne M. Newmark Endowed Chair in Civil Engineering--who speaks Chinese and collaborates frequently with earthquake engineering colleagues in Asia--participated in the review, held in mid-July.

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In May 2008, the Sichuan province in China was struck by a Magnitude-8.0 earthquake, the epicenter of which was near the city of Wenchuan. Two years later, with the recovery efforts complete, the Guangzhou City government invited an international team of earthquake engineering experts to Wenchuan to review their efforts. Bill F. Spencer Jr.,  the Nathan M. and Anne M. Newmark Endowed Chair in Civil Engineering--who speaks Chinese and collaborates frequently with earthquake engineering colleagues in Asia--participated in the review, held in mid-July.

Spencer, right, with Professor Lili Xie of the Chinese National Academy.
Spencer, right, with Professor Lili Xie of the Chinese National Academy.

"The earthquake killed tens of thousands of people and caused widespread devastation, and the Wenchuan area was one of the hardest hit," Spencer explained. "The Chinese government assigned responsibility for the recovery efforts in Wenchuan to the more affluent community of Guangzhou City to the south. Their original charge was to rebuild the community while preserving the heritage and culture of the local people."

The group of engineering experts toured rebuilt neighborhoods, as well as a new hospital, schools, a drinking water treatment plant, a shopping mall, and a sports complex, as well as a public park in which local residents hold nightly dances. Because dancing is especially important to local culture, the addition of the park in the restoration was significant, Spencer said. The entire restoration took just 18 months to complete.
Members of the review team pictured in Wenchuan.
Members of the review team pictured in Wenchuan.

The trip provided a vivid reminder of the uniquely damaging effects of earthquakes on developing countries, Spencer said, and re-emphasized the importance of seismic design codes. The newly constructed buildings in Wenchuan will be much more resilient to any future earthquakes thanks to modern construction techniques. An interesting aspect of the recovery, Spencer said, was the care with which the Guangzhou government approached their task of rebuilding the Wenchuan community for their less-fortunate neighbors.

“By decentralizing the restoration, I think it was done much more effectively, because of the pride that Guangzhou City took in doing it,” Spencer said.
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Contact: Bill F. Spencer Jr., Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 217/333-8630.

Writer: Celeste Arbogast Bragorgos, director of communications, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 217/333-6955.

If you have any questions about the College of Engineering, or other story ideas, contact Rick Kubetz, Engineering Communications Office, 217/244-7716, editor. 

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This story was published August 4, 2010.