Recipe for Disaster: Construction Methods,Materials,and Building Performance in the January 2010 Haiti Earthquake

The earthquake that shook Hispaniola on 12 January 2010 devastated Haiti. The damage was widespread due to uncontrolled construction, poor material quality, and lack of rigorous engineering design. Post-event reconnaissance has brought to light serious deficiencies in these areas. Residential buildings in Haiti are typically constructed by their owners, who may or may not have the skills or resources to build a structure that is earthquake-safe. Few structures are designed by engineering professionals or are inspected for quality of construction. The two most common construction materials are masonry block and reinforced concrete. Masonry blocks, concrete cylinders, and reinforcing steel were taken from Haiti and tested in the United States. The concrete and masonry were shown to be of low strength and quality. The steel samples show expected strength properties with some specimens having reduced ductility due to bending. Building performance is demonstrated by reconnaissance photographs and case studies of the structures inspected by reconnaissance team members.