LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM THE MAJOR EARTHQUAKE OF THE LAST ۲۰ YEARS IN IRAN

The damages to building during the major earthquake of the past ۲۰ years have been discussed in this article and photograph showing the major causes of the damage have been presented. The earthquakes considered are as follows: Turkaman-Sahra (۱۹۷۰), Kerman (۱۹۸۲), Ghir (۱۹۸۵), and Manjil-Roodbar (۱۹۹۰). It is shown that the major causes of the damages are: ۱- Lack of lateral support ۲- Improper connections ۳- Improper use of materials ۴- Heavy roofs, walls, and upper stories ۵- Improper foundations