Earthquake characteristics and building damage in high-intensity areas of Wenchuan earthquake I: Yingxiu town

On May 12, 2008, an Ms 8.0 earthquake occurred on the Longmen Mountain Fault in Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province, China. Based on the reported earthquake intensity and surface displacement distributions in the affected areas, the damages to buildings in high-intensity areas were investigated. This paper focused on the buildings in Yingxiu Town, Wenchuan County. The unreasonable structural design and structural type were found to be the main reason for the damages of buildings. The geological environment problems of the residential area were also discussed. This research would provide valuable reference for scientific earthquake-resistance design and reconstruction after earthquake disaster. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2011