1. Structures in Kobe built since 1981 that were designed to strict seismic codes mostly withstood the 1995 Kobe earthquake, while newly built ductile-frame high-rise buildings were generally undamaged.
2. Modern earthquake engineering aims to create earthquake-resistant designs and construction techniques to build all types of structures, using state-of-the-art technology, materials science, and testing.
3. Key strategies for earthquake-resistant design include base isolation, increasing damping, and using devices like viscous and friction dampers to absorb seismic energy.