Liquefaction occurs when saturated sandy soils lose strength and behave like liquid during an earthquake. The shaking causes water to rise through the soil, mixing with the grains and turning the soil into a weak custard-like substance. To prepare for liquefaction, structures should not be built on soft sandy soils. Buildings can be designed to withstand liquefaction through reinforced foundations and allowing flexibility of movement during shaking. The soil structure can also be strengthened by injecting other materials.
1. What is the issue? Prior to the Christchurch earthquake, the word ‘liquefaction’ was very much an unknown. What is your understanding of liquefaction, and through your research, in what ways, if any, can we prepare to deal with this phenomenon?
9. The water beneath rises up through the ground and mixes with the soft soil
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12. liquefaction! The known monster! WHEN WE KNOW WHAT THE ISSUES ARE, WHEN WE KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE THEN WE WILL KNOW HOW TO WORK TOWARD FIXING THEM 1. Learn which homes and structures were affected, and which ones weren’t. 2. Design more earthquake-liquefaction resistant homes. 3. Educate locals to build their skill sets using disaster-resistant technologies. 4. Stimulate local demand for new types of housing and design. 5. Measure the change over time.