Structural Aspects of the Newcastle Earthquake

On 28 December, 1989 the city of Newcastle was struck by a magnitude 5.6 earthquake killing 12 people and causing losses estimated at $1000 million. It was the first time a major Australian city has been so extensively damaged as a result of an earthquake, and the first time that deaths have occurred. With a few exceptions, most of the damage was to older loadbearing masonry construction or to infill masonry in modern framed construction. There was relatively little structural damage to modern buildings, industrial facilities and lifelines. This paper reviews the damage to structures and brings out the main points to be considered in future design and construction.