Seismic Damage Characteristics and Mitigation Strategies in Southern Sichuan Basin, China

In recent years, seismic activity in the southern Sichuan region has increased significantly. Frequent moderate-to-strong earthquakes have caused severe building damage, casualties, and substantial economic losses, making regional seismic risk increasingly prominent. Based on historical seismic catalogs, geological settings, macroseismic intensity data, and strong motion records, this study systematically analyzes regional seismicity, spatial distribution, and strong ground motion characteristics, and quantitatively investigates the distribution and variation of seismic intensity. It further explores the impacts of earthquakes on various building structures, geological disaster chains, lifeline engineering, and human safety, as well as the underlying damage mechanisms. Finally, targeting the widely existing brick masonry structures, this paper proposes cost-effective and easy-to-implement seismic reinforcement measures combined with typical failure modes and casualty causes. The results provide a scientific basis for seismic disaster prevention planning, engineering seismic practice, and risk management in southern Sichuan and comparable regions.