DAMAGE TO ROAD STRUCTURES AND EFFECT ON ROAD TRAFFIC (1995 HYOGOKEN NANBU EARTHQUAKE)

The Hyogoken Nanbu Earthquake was the first earthquake to affect wide areas of a large city in Japan. The road traffic system, the basis for urban activities, suffered severe damage, seriously affecting relief and restoration work immediately after the disaster. Even more than six months after the earthquake, the road system and traffic levels had not recovered their pre-disaster status, with the consequent severe effects on socioeconomic activity, even though the damaged roads had been repaired. Section 1 of this report sums up the damage to road structures (excluding road bridges) caused by the earthquake, and the effect of the damage on road traffic. Section 2 generally sums up the damage to roads and road associated facilities, such as apparatuses for road information, as well as the traffic control situation in Hanshin District, which was heavily damaged over a wide area, and also analyzes the features of the damage caused. In addition, changes in traffic volume and traveling speeds after the disaster are described, indicating the influence on road traffic. Sections 3 through 7 describe the damage to earth structures, culverts, road retaining walls, pavements, and traffic safety devices such as pedestrian crossing bridges, lampposts, and guard fences; these sections give a general outline of the damage, along with specific cases. In cases of large-scale damage, an analysis of what caused the damage is given, and a discussion of how these might be taken into account in future design is provided.