DAMAGE TO MASONRY BUILDINGS CAUSED BY THE 1995 HYOGO-KEN NANBU (KOBE,JAPAN) EARTHQUAKE

The seismic performance of the few masonry structures present in the K obe area and subjected to the severe Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake is a m inor concern when compared to the overwhelming damage suffered by othe r types of structures. However, in order to dispel the myth that mason ry structures are nonexistent in Japan as well as a few other misconce ptions, and for the sake of completeness within the concerted multipap er reporting effort on the Hyogo-ken Nanbu (Kobe) earthquake by the Ca nadian reconnaissance team which visited the epicentral area of this e arthquake, a brief description of the past and present state of masonr y construction in Japan is first presented, followed by a short descri ption of the damage to unreinforced masonry buildings, masonry garden- walls, and nonstructural masonry elements, as observed by the authors during their visits to the Kobe area.