Missouri DOT hosts seismic workshop - Public Information and Information Exchange - Brief Article

Public Roads, Sept-Oct, 2003

Recently, FHWA sponsored a forum hosted by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and the Mid-America Earthquake Center on the impacts of the New Madrid Seismic Zone. Presentations covered site response, hazards evaluation, foundation retrofitting, and seismic design and retrofit of major bridges.

The New Madrid Seismic Zone is a region along the Mississippi River from southern Illinois to northern Mississippi where a series of powerful earthquakes occurred in the early 1800s. Geological investigations have established that severe earthquakes occurred in that area several times over the last 2,000 years. Although seismic ground motion occurs less frequently in mid-America compared with the West Coast, the infrequent event can be more powerful and affect a much larger area.

Geotechnical engineers and representatives from State departments of transportation (DOTs) and FHWA attended the event. Presentations addressed seismic design issues in mid-America, primarily from the perspective of a geotechnical engineer. Roundtable discussions were based on issues previously submitted in writing by the attendees.

According to FHWA's Glenn Smith, although State DOTs are still learning about the stages of seismic design, the primary lesson learned was that the New Madrid Seismic Zone "affects bridges in mid-America.

"The DOT structural designers and geotechnical engineers are still trying to wade through all the differing design methods, ground motion data, and theories and papers proposed by practicing engineers, geologists, and academia," Smith says.

A videotape of the open discussion segment of the workshop is available by request from Geotechnical Engineer Kevin McLain at MoDOT. Call 573-751-1044 or e-mail mclaik@mail.modot.state.mo.us. For more information on the workshop or to obtain a copy of the proceedings, contact Glenn Smith at 202-366-8795 or glenn.smith@fhwa.dot.gov.