Hazard Maps Help Save Lives and Property

By

William M. Brown III, David M. Perkins, Edgar V. Leyendecker, Arthur D. Frankel, James W. Hendley II, and Peter H. Stauffer

National maps of earthquake shaking hazards provide information essential to creating and updating the seismic design provisions of building codes used in the United States. Scientists frequently revise these maps to reflect new knowledge. Buildings, bridges, highways, and utilities built to meet modern seismic design provisions are better able to withstand earthquakes, not only saving lives but also enabling critical activities to continue with less disruption.