Tohoku Japan Earthquake

By: Millie, Casey, McKinzie, Abbey

In the 65 years after the end of World War II, this is the toughest and the most difficult crisis for

Japan.”-Japanese Prime Minister Naoto

Kan

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-

12709598

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami

Major Causes of Damage

In the end:Deaths: 15,878Injured: 6,126Homeless: at least 450,000Missing: 2,713

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Tōhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami

Reverse faults are the primary cause of the largest tsunamis. Reverse faults are where two plates

collide and one plate is lifted over the other plate. While these plates are generally in constant

motion it is at the junction of their boundaries where the plates are locked together and the

stress between them begins to build.

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/tsunami/generation.htm

As the two plates remain locked together stress continues to build at

their intersection. As a result, the sea floor is pulled down (2) with a

corresponding rise on the continental side of the fault.

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/tsunami/generation.htm

At some point, the stress between the two plates becomes too much and the

earth between the two plates move releasing the pressure. This is felt as an

earthquake.

It is this sinking water, moving ahead of the bulge of lifted water, that is responsible for the often observed 'pulling away' of water

from the normal shoreline as the tsunami approaches.

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/tsunami/generation.htm

The tsunami radiate out from source of the

earthquake.

As the tsunami moves into more shallow water the speed of the

tsunami diminishes and height of the waves grow

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/tsunami/generation.htm

Japan is one of the most well-prepared countries in the world to deal with the

threat of a tsunami.Warning systems are in place, and

concrete sea walls wrap around much of the coastline.

-Japan was just not ready for an event of this size

- They hadn't had something this large for

over a 100 years - Seawalls were not high

enough and gave false hope.

ImprovementA major thing that Japan needed to

improve was having their citizens more

educated. People got their hopes up that the seawalls would protect

them. http://www.gatech.edu/newsroom/release.html?nid=114571

Nuclear Power Plant that was effected by the earthquake and tsunami The Plant has 6 boiling water reactors

 Fukushima Daiichi 

Fukushima Daiichi 

Units 1, 2, and 3 were in operation at the time of the earthquake and were automatically shut down

The tsunami waves hit and submerged and damaged the heat exchangers for dumping reactor waste heat and decay heat to the sea.

Fukushima Daiichi 

The three units lost the ability to maintain proper reactor cooling and water circulation functions

As a result of no power there was no venting system and Units 1 and 3 had a hydrogen explosion where the hydrogen mixed with air and ignited.

Radioactive Contamination

Iodine-131

caesium-137

Evacuations were ordered for a 20 km radius

How could it have been prevented?TEPCO didn’t want to draw attention by adding preventative measures

Engineering techniques

The tuned mass dampener is an object (the gold ball) built into a building’s interior to absorb seismic shock.

http://www.businessinsider.com/earthquake-resistant-buildings-2011-3?op=1

Tuned Mass Damper

http://civilandstructuralanalysis.blogspot.com/

Springs-with-damper base isolator absorbs the seismic energy of the earthquake and reduce structural damage

http://www.businessinsider.com/earthquake-resistant-buildings-2011-3?op=1

Friction pendulum system is a design where energy is absorbed by the legs and dissipated through cylinders and sliders.

http://www.businessinsider.com/earthquake-resistant-buildings-2011-3?op=1

The E-Defense table is a shifting base intended to simulate an earthquake.

http://www.businessinsider.com/earthquake-resistant-buildings-2011-3?op=1

Japan skyscrapers swaying

http://youtu.be/HB2jgJJG2is

Japan’s EconomyClosed down or damaged ports and airport

Disrupted Global Supply Chain

Increase in food prices

Suspended car production

Employment rates

Government debt increase

http://useconomy.about.com/od/criticalssues/a/Japan-Earthquake.htm

http://www.alsosprachanalyst.com/economy/the-impact-of-japans-earthquake-on-the-economy-my-first-thoughts.html

Global EconomyStocks in market declined

Radiation impact

Flow of goods are disrupted around the world

Construction companies benefitExposure to radiation

http://www.institutionalinvestor.com/article.aspx?articleID=2787087

http://www.alsosprachanalyst.com/economy/the-impact-of-japans-earthquake-on-the-economy-my-first-thoughts.html

OverallThere was a large impact on japans

economy and a very little impact on the rest of the world.