Living With Earthquakes in California

Over the past century California has moved from denying the hazards posed by earthquakes -- they were bad for business -- to adopting building codes and protective legislation that are today the most advanced in the world. In Living with Earthquakes, Robert Yeats, a leading expert on earthquake geology, describes California's revolutionary efforts to grapple with the earthquake threat. His book is a general reader's guide to California earthquakes, combining current research with practical safety information.

Beginning with a brief introduction to the geological setting of earthquakes, Yeats leads readers through a lively and lucid narrative that

-- describes the major faults that threaten Northern and Southern California and Nevada,

-- explores topics ranging from earthquake forecasting and catastrophe insurance (the California Earthquake Authority is the largest residential insurer in the world) to the risks of tsunamis and soil liquefaction,

-- reviews the current level of earthquake preparedness and disaster response, including the role of governm

Robert S. Yeats is professor emeritus in the geosciences department at Oregon State University.

Preface

vii

I. Boosters and Quakers: Three Centuries of People and Earthquakes in California

1

(25)

II. Tectonic Plates, Geologic Time, and Earthquakes

26

(191)

A Concept of Time

27

(8)

Plate Tectonics

35

(14)

Earthquake Basics

49

(26)

The San Andreas Fault System: The Big One

75

(41)

The Transverse Ranges: LA in the Squeeze

116

(17)

Shakes in the Back Country: Decades of Violence, Millennia of Silence

133

(26)

Cascadia

159

(26)

Memories of the Future: The Uncertain Art of Earthquake Forecasting

185

(32)

III. Shaky Ground and Big Waves

217

(43)

Solid Rock and Bowls of Jello

220

(18)

Tsunami!

238

(22)

IV. Prevention and Countermeasures

260

(101)

Earthquake Insurance: Betting Against Earthquakes

261

(18)

Is Your Home Ready for an Earthquake?

279

(18)

Earthquake Design of Large Structures

297

(15)

The Federal Government and Earthquakes

312

(17)

The Role of State and Local Government

329

(19)

Preparing for the Next Earthquake

348

(10)

An Uncertain Appointment with a Restless Earth

358

(3)

Appendix A. Table of Significant Earthquakes in California

361

(8)

Appendix B. Glossary

369

(7)

Appendix C. Credits

376

(7)

Bibliography

383

(10)

Index

393

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Living With Earthquakes in California

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials