Close-up of first-story column failure at Olive View Hospital, damaged in the San Fernando (California) earthquake of 1971. The column was located at the west end of Wing B on the first story of the five-story hospital. This is a typical first-story tied corner column, and the damage is characteristic of column damage found on the first floor in all wings of the hospital. These corner columns were square with a corner notch out, giving the appearance of a thick L-shaped column. Note the broken ties, the spacing of the ties, and the bent rebar. The building was laterally displaced about two feet to the north in the earthquake.

Image Credit: E.V. Leyendecker. U.S. Geological Survey