| The Tohoku Earthquake that struck Japan on March 11、 2011、 had a magnitude of 9.0、 making it the largest ever recorded in the country. The event was a disaster on an unprecedented scale、 resulting in more than 23、000 people dead or missing due to the effects of the earthquake motion and the subsequent tsunami of up to 10 m in height、 as well as enormous damage to lifelines and structures. Many road bridges collapsed or sustained damage due to the influences of the earthquake、 the tsunami’s force and liquefaction. This paper outlines the conditions and characteristics of damage based on the results of a damage survey conducted mainly for highway bridges、 and provides an overview of the situation regarding earthquake-resistant design criteria and reinforcement in Japan before the earthquake. |
