2025 EERI LFE Travel Study -- Mexico: Lessons in soft soils, subsidence, and site effects
Morgan D. Sanger, Kenny Buyco, Mohammed S. Ibrahim, P. Salvador Ramos, Andres A. Acosta
Published: 2025/10/1
Abstract
The 1985 M8.1 Mexico City earthquake marked a turning point in Mexican earthquake engineering, underscoring the influence of soft soils, subsidence, and site effects on seismic performance in the Valley of Mexico. In the four decades since, both research and engineering practice have evolved significantly, shaped by subsequent events such as the 2017 M7.1 Puebla-Morelos earthquake. Integrating observations made during the Learning from Earthquakes Travel Study program and desk study findings, this paper summarizes the progression of geotechnical knowledge and practice in Mexico City, through the lessons of 1985 and 2017, through the lens of site effects, soil zonation, subsidence and emerging directions and future trends.