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Blast Impacts of August 2020 Beirut Explosion From Ground Observations and Satellite Data

Session: Analyses and Implications of the 4 August 2020 Beirut Explosion Series I

Type: Oral

Date: 4/22/2021

Presentation Time: 03:00 PM Pacific

Description: 

At 18:08 on 4 August 2020, a large explosion occurred at Hangar 12 in the Port of Beirut. The size of the explosion was equivalent to that of an earthquake with local magnitude (M_L) of 3.3 (USGS). Following the event, several organizations mobilized to examine its impact. The Order of Engineers and Architects of Beirut (OEA) undertook building inspections with the aim of identifying structures unsafe for human occupancy. The American University of Beirut Urban Lab (AUB-UL) engaged with several outside agencies including Rice University Spatial Studies Lab and OpenMap Lebanon to map the impacts of the explosion on building using broad damage descriptors (e.g., minor damage, major damage, etc.).

This abstract is an outcome of a combined effort of the American University of Beirut (AUB), NASA-Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and the NSF-sponsored Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance Association (GEER). AUB and GEER have partnered to collect and document the perishable data on the impacts of the explosion, particularly in connection with Port of Beirut infrastructure and building structures.

In this presentation, we will describe the ground based observations of building impacts, which emphasized mapping of structural damage (i.e., impacts, or lack thereof, on load-carrying structural system) and façade damage (i.e., impacts on exterior windows and doors). Both types of impacts can be compared to damage proxies produced by NASA-JPL following the event based on satellite data. We find the damage proxies are more strongly correlated with façade damage than with structural damage.

Presenting Author: Jonathan P. Stewart

Student Presenter: No

Authors