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October 14, 2008

Session 1A: Lifeline Readiness & Fault Crossings
Most of the important “lifelines” for cities – water, fuel, fiber optic cables, sewer lines, etc. – travel underground and often cross fault lines in seismically active regions. This panel presents case studies and scenarios with action items to secure these lines and examines the importance of making the investment in this preparation.

Moderator: Michael Reichle, Chief Seismologist, California Geological Survey (retired), Presentation
Kenneth W. Hudnut, Ph.D., Geophysicist, United States Geological Survey, Presentation
Prof. Yasuko Kuwata, Kobe University, Japan, Presentation
H. David Nahai, General Manager, L.A. Department of Water and Power, Presentation

by H. David Nahai
Co-authors Mr. Marvin D. Moon and Dr. Craig A. Davis

The ShakeOut scenario identifies potential shaking impacts and effects from a probable great magnitude 7.8 earthquake on the Southern San Andreas Fault.  This presentation outlines possible consequences and impacts to the City of Los Angeles Water and Electric infrastructure, if the ShakeOut scenario were to occur.  An overview of likely damages to supplies and assets, response plans, possible service restoration times, and major community impacts is described.  This scenario has advanced the awareness level on regional effects such a great earthquake can bring to Southern California and has helped identify measures that need to be taken in preparation for this or similar events.  Measures undertaken by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power in relation to the Shakeout scenario are presented along with some additional recommended policy actions.

Seismic performance of pipeline under the fault crossing and its countermeasures

by Yasuko Kuwata

Lifeline facilities cover the urban area widely and densely and play the essential part for our life. They have been taken the seismic countermeasure to mitigate earthquake damage and reduce social impact after an earthquake. However recent earthquakes notice that the fault offsetting in the earthquake causes sever damage to pipeline. The known and sometime unknown faults cross the pipeline in our urban area. Based on the fault movement observed in the recent earthquakes and the numerical simulation of underground pipeline crossing the fault, the seismic performance of pipeline is discussed. Moreover the seismic design of pipeline in Japan considering active fault and the practical countermeasure for the construction of large diameter pipeline crossing the fault in Kobe are introduced.

ShakeOut Earthquake Surface Rupture of the San Andreas Fault - Impacts on Critical Lifeline Infrastructure

by Kenneth W. Hudnut, Ph.D.; Geophysicist, United States Geological Survey

Great earthquakes rupture the ground surface, severing lifelines that cross the fault line. The ShakeOut earthquake scenario includes surface breakage along 300 km of the San Andreas fault, starting at Bombay Beach and rupturing for 90 seconds. The rupture races northwestward, three times faster than a speeding bullet, before finally stopping at Lake Hughes. As it breaks, the fault displaces the I-10 freeway east of Indio by 7 meters (23 feet) laterally to the right, and the I-15 freeway at Cajon Pass north of San Bernardino by 4 meters (13 feet). Along the way, critical lifeline infrastructure such as water main lines and aqueducts, oil and gas pipelines, power transmission lines, and rail lines as well as roads will all be severed, causing leaks, spills, explosions & fires, and requiring extensive repairs. Because of co-location of lifelines at Cajon Pass, duration of disruption will be extended, as for several other passes. Landslide damage to the footings of towers where power lines cross steep slopes will require lengthy repairs. Delays to critical lifeline repairs exacerbate the long-term regional economic impact. In an exemplary case, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline withstood surface slip in an earthquake much like the ShakeOut scenario because it had been specially engineered. For ShakeOut, lifeline operators are developing innovative engineering solutions to improve the performance of lifelines where they cross the fault.