Geotechnics as an unavoidable segment of earthquake engineering

A broader overview of the role of geotechnics in earthquake engineering is given, and a set of practical examples of the quantification of geotechnical seismic indicators for construction of individual buildings is provided. An overview of oncoming changes to the current design standards for evaluating the effect the soil has on buildings in earthquake conditions is also given. Considering the level of seismic activity in Croatia, the need for adopting a comprehensive approach to seismic microzoning is emphasized, which involves a whole array of indicators, from lithological, engineering geological, and hydrogeological properties, and position of active faults, to identification of unstable slopes and zones of pronounced liquefaction potential, for which extensive geophysical and geotechnical investigations are required.