soil liquefaction: Quick Facts

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Facts

Also Known As	earthquake liquefaction

Photos and Videos

Educational diagram comparing stable soil with liquefied soil during an earthquake. On the left, buildings stand upright on stable soil with grains held together by friction. On the right, shaking causes soil grains to separate, leading to liquefied soil where buildings tilt and collapse as stability is lost. Insets show magnified views of soil grain arrangement in both conditions.

San Francisco earthquake of 1906: soil liquefaction

Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989: soil liquefaction

Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989: soil liquefaction

Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989: sand volcano

Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989: sand volcanoes

A woman sits at a table with tools for a scientific demonstration.

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Topics

earthquake secondary wave soil cryoseism leaching seepage illuviation eluviation duricrust What causes soil erosion?horizon clay Could We Lose All the Soil on Earth?