International Handbook of Earthquake & Engineering Seismology, Part B

Rating:
Summary: New Treatise for Earthquake & Engineering Seismology, part B
Review: The new International Handbook of Earthquake and Engineering Seismology,Part B, 2003, from Academic Press, is a long-awaited seminal treatise. Part B encompases 1,040 pages and covers Chapters 57 through 90. There is a CD-ROM in the rear pocket with supplemental information (pdf), field photographs (jpg) taken in the aftermath of large earthquakes, and additional digital programs and formulae.

For the purposes of this review, a selected number of chapter titles and authors are listed that will be principally of interest to North American seismologists.

Chapter 57, Strong-Motion Seismology, by John G. Anderson, UNR
Chapter 58, Strong-Motion Data Processing,
by Shakal, Huang, and Grazier
(my colleagues in the California Geological Survey)
Chapter 59, Estimation of Strong Seismic Ground Motions
by Prof. Bruce A. Bolt and Norman Abrahamson
Chapter 60, Strong-Motion Attenuation Relations
by Kenneth Campbell
Chapter 61, Site Effects on Strong Ground Motions
by K. Hawase
Chapter 65, Seismic Hazards & Risk Assessment in Engr Practice
by Paul Somerville and Yoshi Moriwaki
Chapter 67, Earthquake Response of Buildings
by Prof. Paul Jennings of Caltech
Chapter 70, Liquefaction Mechanisms
by Prof. Leslie Youd
Chapter 71, Soil Liquefaction during Earthquakes
by Prof. Jean Bardet of USC
Chapter 72, Earthquake Prediction - an overview
by Prof. Hiroo Kanamori of Caltech
Chapter 79, includes 200 pages of national reports,
somewhat like a United Nations report
of seismology and earthquake engineering in each country.
Chapter 89, Biographies of Seismologists and Earthquake Engineers
by Prof. Benjamin Howell

This treatise is highly recommended, especially as a library resource for working seismologists and earthquake engineers. Each chapter is written by a team of specialists, so the extensive bibliography within each chapter is a real gold-mine of current citations in seismology. The editors, Dr. William H. Lee, USGS Menlo Park; Dr. Hiroo Kanamori, Caltech; Dr. Paul Jennings, Caltech; and Dr. Carl Kisslinger, University of Colorado are to be commended. The hard-bound treatise is 8x11-inch format and nicely printed on heavy enamel paper. This represents a "good value" for library purchase, even when budgets are limited.

Robert H. Sydnor, LM-SSA, LM-AGU, M-EERI
Senior Enginering Geologist
California Geological Survey
Sacramento, California
[e-mail]