Publisher's Synopsis
This is a new volume in the ASCE series "Engineering Classics", which presents selected papers of lasting importance by eminent engineers who have made outstanding contributions to their field. Sponsored by the Structural Division of the ASCE, this volume collects a number of key papers on earthquake engineering by George W. Housner, who more than any other person has been responsible for the remarkable development of this subject during the past fifty years. Included here are the basic research papers which form the scientific background for modern earthquake design. They discuss such topics as: the characteristics of strong earthquake ground motion; the response of structures to earthquakes; the development of response spectrum techniques; and, the formulation of design spectrum. Besides presenting his fundamental research papers, other papers are also included on such subjects as: dynamic tests of structures, seismic zoning problems, response of fluid systems to earthquake excitation, and special problems of critical structures such as dams and nuclear power plants.;The volume thus not only presents much material of historical interest, but it is virtually a textbook on modern earthquake engineering.
