E-Defense Shake Table Experiments Implemented by NIED and Collaborative Research Projects in 2005–2022

Abstract

The three-dimensional full-scale earthquake testing facility, “E-Defense” was constructed using the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake as a lesson. Until October 2022, this facility has conducted 123 experiments as part of the research and development on earthquake engineering for various purposes (e.g., the clarification of destruction processes, evaluations of seismic structural performances, functional maintenance, collapse margins, and damage control technologies). Even after its commencement, large earthquakes that significantly affected human life and socioeconomic activities occurred such as the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake caused the Great East Japan Earthquake Disaster. These earthquakes revealed some new challenges for disaster prevention and mitigation. Such issues have also been incorporated as subjects to be addressed by the facility. This article introduces the researches and developments using E-Defense, chronologically linking them with the major earthquakes occurred in Japan after 1995. By summarizing the activities, its near-future direction is also briefly indicated.