Mobile |  Entertainment |  Fashion |  Beauty |  Health & Fitness |  Food |  Shop |  Subscribe |  Win
WHAT IS 'LIQUEFACTION'?
Liquefaction is a phenomenon in which the strength and stiffness of a soil is reduced...
Share Click to share this article on Twitter
What Is 'Liquefaction'? image
Liquefaction is a phenomenon in which the strength and stiffness of a soil is reduced by earthquake shaking or other rapid loading.

Liquefaction and related phenomena have been responsible for tremendous amounts of damage in historical earthquakes around the world.

Liquefaction occurs in saturated soils, that is, soils in which the space between individual particles is completely filled with water.

This water exerts a pressure on the soil particles that influences how tightly the particles themselves are pressed together. Prior to an earthquake, the water pressure is relatively low. However, earthquake shaking can cause the water pressure to increase to the point where the soil particles can readily move with respect to each other.

Schematic behaviour of sand grains in a soil deposit during liquefaction. The blue column represents the pore water pressure.

When liquefaction occurs, the strength of the soil decreases and, the ability of a soil deposit to support foundations for buildings and bridges is reduced as seen in the photo (SC) of the overturned apartment complex buildings in Niigata in 1964.

Also See:  examples of 'liquefaction' here
A Very Different Keyboard And Mouse
Pure Bamboo introduces its innovative and eco-friendly bamboo keyboard and mouse...
Beautiful Places You've Probably Never Heard Of
These stunning places are unknown for good reason...
The Dawning of The Super Moon
The weekend of May 5th was an absolute delight for both professional and amateur astronomers alike...
The Most Un-Green Celebrities
They may be famous but they know nothing about keeping things 'green'...
Is Bottled Water Really That Bad? Yes
We spend billions each year worldwide on bottled water, and the environmental damage is spiralling...
Google Street View Offers Poignant View Of Tsunami Struck Japan
Google Street View has digitally archived vast areas of tsunami-hit Japan.
Next Page
Latest Issue
JUN JULY 2012
M2 Magazine - JUN JULY 2012
Sign up for the free M2 Woman Newsletter
Connect with M2woman
Facebook Twitter Mail
Buy of the Week
Complimentary Fragrance for Men
M2woman Poll
Do you trust government departments with your personal information?
Yes
No
Today's Featured Video