The Applied Technology Council (ATC) and the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research (PEER) Center are pleased to announce the upcoming U.S.-Japan Workshop on the Effects of Near-Field Earthquake Shaking, to be held March 20-21, 2000, at the Radisson Miyako Hotel in San Francisco. The purpose of the workshop is to disseminate new information and research data on the effects of near-field earthquake shaking in urban areas. Emphasis will be placed on recently completed studies in Japan that were initiated immediately following the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nambu earthquake. The workshop is co-sponsored by PEER, ATC, the Japanese Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, and Culture, and the National Science Foundation.

The two-day workshop program has been developed for practicing structural and civil engineers, earthquake engineering researchers, educators and students, building regulatory personnel, planners, and disaster-recovery professionals. The program includes presentations by Japanese and U.S. researchers on the following topics:

• Studies of near-field ground motions from recent earthquakes in Japan, Turkey, and Taiwan;
• Microzonation of seismic risk in urban areas;
• Structural safety and design of structures in the near field;
• Vulnerability assessment of transportation and utility systems;
• Structural response control;
• Urban earthquake information and inventory management; and
• Human response to earthquakes in densely populated urban areas.

Persons wishing to register for the workshop should contact the Applied Technology Council, 555 Twin Dolphin Drive, Suite 550, Redwood City, California 94065 (phone, 650/595-1542; fax 650/593-2320; e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). The workshop registration fee is $25 for registered undergraduate and graduate students, $25 for design professionals who are members of the PEER Business and Industry program, and $125 for all others. The registration fee covers the workshop proceedings and continental breakfast, breaks, and lunch on both days. A late fee of $25 will be charged for registrations mailed or faxed after March 13, 2000. Space is limited to approximately 150 persons, and registration will be accommodated on a first-come, first-serve basis.