The 2009 L'Aquila earthquake (italy): Its characteristics and implications for earthquake science and earthquake engineering

Abstract

The 2009 L'Aquila earthquake that occurred in the Abruzzi region of Central Italy had a moment magnitude of 6.3. The earthquake caused the loss of 294 lives with casualties being particularly heavy in the old city of L'Aquila. The authors were able to investigate the damage caused by this earthquake soon after the event. The earthquake was caused by a normal fault and the heaviest damage was mainly on the hanging-wall side of the causative fault. This study describes the characteristics of this earthquake and its implications to earthquake science and earthquake engineering. Furthermore, the main causes of the heavy structural damage as well as the prediction of the earthquake are discussed. A close inspection of prediction claims indicates that the prediction did not really satisfy the requirements for earthquake prediction. The causes of the heavy damage were low seismic resistance of structures and lack of implementation of modern seismic design code.