LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE ARMENIA, USSR EARTHQUAKE OF DECEMBER ۷,۱۹۸۸

On December ۷,۱۹۸۸ at ۱۱:۴۱ A.M. local time apowerfulearthquake struck northwest Armenia,a Soviet republic with ۳.۵ million people.The event caused catastrophi.c damage that resulted in terms of thousands of deaths in a ۴۰۰ square -kilometer epicentral region occupied by approximately ۷۰۰۰۰۰ people.The official estimate of the deaths in the Armenia earthquake exeeds ۲۵۰۰۰,making it one of the worst natural disasters of this century.The great majority of deaths were caused by buildings collapsing on occupanta.As the detailed study of structural behaviour, damage and failures caused by seismic disturbances has always been important in the development of design and construction procedures _for modern earthquake resistant structures and investigation into earthquakes and their effects upon various types of structures has contributed significant information to aothori-ties,profeasionals and others engaged in extending the knowledge of earthquake engineering,the present paper based on broad documantation,reflects the lessons Learned from the Armenia Earthquake.It contains comprehensive suggestions to-wards design and construction of earthquake resistant structures from structural view points.It is hoped that this paper will contribute to the betterunderatan-ding of earthquake effects upon structures both in Soviet Union and Iran