Chile Earthquake of 2010: Lifeline Performance

Seismology and geotechnical aspects of the 2010 Chile earthquake are presented. The first part of this chapter describes the plate tectonic setting, historic seismicity, the expected ground motions from probabilistic maps, seismological characteristics of the earthquake, areas of regional surface deformation, uplift and subsidence, tsunami inundation maps, tsunami characteristics and impacts, and local geologic conditions. The second part chapter discusses the geotechnical and engineering aspects of the earthquake and how they relate to lifelines. Ground shaking and geotechnical-related ground failures impacted all lifelines and resulted in damage to buildings, bridges, highways, railways, ports, and systems involving water, wastewater, gas and liquid fuel, electricity, and telecommunication as well as contributing to lifeline interdependency issues.

The effect of the 2010 Chile earthquake on transportation systems is described. An overview of system performance is followed by specific reports on highways and bridges in Santiago, Concepción, Tubul, and other locations, as well as railway bridges, such as the one over the Bio Bio River in Concepción. Observations and recommendations are included.

The effect of the 2010 Chile earthquake on ports is decribed, beginning with an overview of ports performance. Damage to specific ports is cataloged, including the fishing pier and commercial port at Coronel, several areas of the port of San Vicente, two operating piers at the port of Lirquen, a fisheries processing plant and container port at Talcahuano, a Navy port at Molo, and the Abastible Pier near Concepción. Observations and recommendations are included.

The effect of the 2010 Chile earthquake on gas and liquid fuel systems is described, beginning with an overview of three refineries (Aconcagua, Bio Bio, and Magallanes) and refinery performance. The performance of other gas and oil systems is reported, including the crude oil pipeline system, the liquid petroleum gas plant, and the gas fuel system. Observations and recommendations are included.

The effect of the 2010 Chile earthquake on electric power systems is described, beginning with an overview of Chile's power system infrastructure. Chile's power system configuration is compared with that of the western United States, focusing on types of equipment, installation practices, and earthquake performance of equipment. Damage to the Bocamina coal-fired generation station near Coronel is recorded. An overview of the seismic qualification methods used in the Chile transmission system shows maps of affected areas, summarizes substation damage, and reports on visits to selected substations at Polpaico, Charrua, Ancoa, Concepción, and San Vicente. Damage to four distribution substations is also cataloged. Transmission and distribution lines were affected by the loss of three towers at a river crossing and damage to hundreds of concrete distribution poles. Observations and recommendations are included.

The effect of the 2010 Chile earthquake on telecommunication systems is described, beginning with an overview of Chile's telecommunication network. Typical types of damage include equipment failure, fallen batteries, severed cables, failure of backup power generators, and failure of towers and antennas. Cellular service providers suffered heavy damage in the affected regions, in addition to the loss of electric power. Damage at several cellular sites is cataloged. Disruptions to landline transmission and distribution networks were caused mainly by electric power outages, although damage to offices and parts of the transmission system is also recorded. Observations and recommendations are included.

The effect of the 2010 Chile earthquake on water and wastewater systems is described, beginning with a description of the system for delivering water in urban and rural areas, the wastewater collection system, and water canals and hydraulic structures. Damage to water transmission pipes and distribution pipes is cataloged, along with observations at specific sites, including Mochita Water Treatment Plant and Concepción Wastewater Treatment Plant. Observations and recommendations are included.

The effect of the 2010 Chile earthquake on air traffic and airport operations is described, beginning with a description of three airport facilities. An overview of system performance revealed three common failure modes: control tower damage, passenger terminal damage, and loss of communication. Santiago International Airport sustained extensive damage to buildings, the traffic control tower, an airline office, walkways, and fuel and water storage tanks. Concepción International Airport suffered light damage and degraded communications. Los Angeles Airport sustained nonstructural damage to its terminal building and extensive damage to its air traffic control tower. Observations and recommendations are included.

The 2010 Chile earthquake revealed aspects of infrastructure interdependence that increased the loss of functionality of lifeline systems already affected by direct earthquake damage. These interdependencies delayed the restoration of certain susceptible and dependent utility systems, such as telecommuniations, power distribution, water, and transportation. The loss of lifeline functionality manifested in two phases. First comes a short period filled with social turmoil, power outages, and high uncertainty about tsunami evaluation and road conditions. The second phase is characterized by the increasing availability of alternate transportation routes, restoration of power at transmission and subtransmission levels, and regained social order. Data on lifeline system restoration is analyzed and quantitative lifeline interdependence analyses are recorded. Research and practical challenges in improving interdependencies are explored. Observations and recommendations are included. An appendix offers pairwise plots of detrended restoration curves and cross-correlations for a selection of utility systems and jurisdiction sizes.

Emergency response, recovery efforts, and social impacts of the 2010 Chile earthquake are evaluated for effectivenes and future improvements. Although Chile citizens can be characterized as having a high level of earthquake awareness and preparedness, the emergency response to the 2010 event could be improved in several ways. Government officials, local engineers, and international aid groups were interviewed to assess performance. The recovery process is described and evaluated, and the long-term social impacts assessed. Observations and recommendations are included.