Earthquake Response Conference with Illinois Department of Transportation

The Illinois Department of Transportation held a 2001 Earthquake Response Conference April 18-19 in Carbondale, IL. The two-day conference included a simulated earthquake to test the states emergency response. IDOT has an Earthquake Preparedness Plan and conducts exercises to test its procedures. The purpose of the exercise is to ensure that the department is prepared to open, close, and operate highways, to establish communications links to the affected parts of the state including other state agencies and other state DOT’s, to provide a rapid response, to provide a quick assessment of damages, and to establish alternate highway routes where necessary following an earthquake. The MAE Center participated in the conference with Graduate Research Assistant Can Simsir demonstrating the small shake table. Many of the conference participants had questions for Can regarding his research on the ST-10 Dynamic Tests of Low-Rise Building Systems project.