On the December 26, 2003, southeastern Iran earthquake in Bam region

In this paper, the December 26, 2003, earthquake in the historical city of Bam is studied. The seismological aspects are considered and the earthquake source is introduced. The strong ground motion is studied and its spectra are compared to the design spectra of UBC-97 and the Iranian seismic code, as well as previous earthquakes in Iran. Finally, the structural behavior of buildings and lifeline systems in this region is studied and damages are outlined.