Very few data are available concerning damages to underground structures and tunnels after

earthquakes before 70’s. Damages and failures were accurately documented only after strong
earthquakes: after San Fernando earthquake (1971), ASCE (1974) published some data about
damages to underground structures in the Los Angeles area. Moreover in many cases an accurate
monitoring of lining cracks existing before the earthquake was missing. Therefore the real damage
suffered by structures during the earthquake was unknown. After 1974 a systematic data collection
of tunnel damages concerning different earthquakes was carried out, for the purpose of recognizing
common features and similar causes: