scholarly journals Liquefaction and Related Ground Failure from July 2019 Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequence

2020 ◽  
Vol 110 (4) ◽  
pp. 1549-1566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Zimmaro ◽  
Chukwuebuka C. Nweke ◽  
Janis L. Hernandez ◽  
Kenneth S. Hudson ◽  
Martin B. Hudson ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The 2019 Ridgecrest earthquake sequence produced a 4 July M 6.5 foreshock and a 5 July M 7.1 mainshock, along with 23 events with magnitudes greater than 4.5 in the 24 hr period following the mainshock. The epicenters of the two principal events were located in the Indian Wells Valley, northwest of Searles Valley near the towns of Ridgecrest, Trona, and Argus. We describe observed liquefaction manifestations including sand boils, fissures, and lateral spreading features, as well as proximate non-ground failure zones that resulted from the sequence. Expanding upon results initially presented in a report of the Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance Association, we synthesize results of field mapping, aerial imagery, and inferences of ground deformations from Synthetic Aperture Radar-based damage proxy maps (DPMs). We document incidents of liquefaction, settlement, and lateral spreading in the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake US military base and compare locations of these observations to pre- and postevent mapping of liquefaction hazards. We describe liquefaction and ground-failure features in Trona and Argus, which produced lateral deformations and impacts on several single-story masonry and wood frame buildings. Detailed maps showing zones with and without ground failure are provided for these towns, along with mapped ground deformations along transects. Finally, we describe incidents of massive liquefaction with related ground failures and proximate areas of similar geologic origin without ground failure in the Searles Lakebed. Observations in this region are consistent with surface change predicted by the DPM. In the same region, geospatial liquefaction hazard maps are effective at identifying broad percentages of land with liquefaction-related damage. We anticipate that data presented in this article will be useful for future liquefaction susceptibility, triggering, and consequence studies being undertaken as part of the Next Generation Liquefaction project.

1983 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 1161-1171
Author(s):  
Thomas H. Heaton ◽  
John G. Anderson ◽  
Peter T. German

abstract We recognized a number of ground failures along the south bank of the New River north of Brawley, California, following the 15 October 1979 Imperial Valley, California, earthquake sequence. The zone includes a large pond and numerous sand boils, apparently caused by liquefaction, near the Del Rio Country Club. These ground failures, together with failures at the New River bridge west of Brawley and at Wiest Lake, form a discontinuous zone 10 km long. While this zone appears to coincide with the aftershocks following the 16 October 1979, ML 5.8, Brawley earthquake (the largest aftershock of the Imperial Valley earthquake), a cause and effect relationship cannot be demonstrated. No evidence of tectonic surface faulting could be found.


2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 04018024 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hassan Masoomi ◽  
Mohammad R. Ameri ◽  
John W. van de Lindt

1991 ◽  
Vol 81 (5) ◽  
pp. 2111-2126
Author(s):  
R. Shepherd ◽  
E. O. Delos-Santos

Abstract Extensive damage was experienced by wood-frame buildings during the Loma Prieta earthquake. A significant contributory factor was the collapse of cripple walls. This prompted the examination of the behavior of a group of full-scale retrofitted cripple walls subjected to in-plane cyclic loads. The results of investigating seven cripple walls, each 2 ft (0.61 m) high and 16 ft (5 m) long, are presented. Two are control panels, without retrofits. Two are strengthened with 1 by 6 inch (25.4 by 153 mm) braces. Two are retrofitted with 0.5 inch (12.7 mm) plywood and one with a steel strap tie. Stiffness, strength, and damping characteristics are summarized, together with cost aspects. It is shown that relatively cheap and straightforward modifications can substantially eliminate the vulnerability of many existing cripple walls to earthquake shaking.


2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 209-231
Author(s):  
Luis Moya ◽  
Erick Mas ◽  
Fumio Yamazaki ◽  
Wen Liu ◽  
Shunichi Koshimura

Debris scattering is one of the main causes of road/street blockage after earthquakes in dense urban areas. Therefore, the evaluation of debris scattering is crucial for decision makers and for producing an effective emergency response. In this vein, this article presents the following: (1) statistical data concerning the debris extent of collapsed buildings caused by the 2016 Mw 7.0 Kumamoto earthquake in Japan; (2) an investigation of the factors influencing the extent of debris; (3) probability functions for the debris extent; and (4) applications in the evaluation of road networks. To accomplish these tasks, LiDAR data and aerial photos acquired before and after the mainshock (16 April 2016) were used. This valuable dataset gives us the opportunity to accurately quantify the relationship between the debris extent and the geometrical properties of buildings.


2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (11) ◽  
pp. 996-1000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lars Gullbrekken ◽  
Klodian Gradeci ◽  
Øyvind Norvik ◽  
Petra Rüther ◽  
Stig Geving

Clamped joints of wood frame buildings are a traditional way in Norway to attain airtight joints for the air and vapour barrier. There are numerous defects registered in the SINTEF Building Defects Archive related to air leakage through the vapour barrier, on one hand, and stricter requirements for reduced energy consumption, on the other hand, question today’s efficacy of these type of joints. This study investigates the durability of clamped joints by studying how the airtightness is affected by several drying and wetting cycles. Experimental work is carried out to measure air leakage rates, which in turn, are used to evaluate their impact on the airtightness of two different constructions by numerical estimations. Results show that the air leakage rates are increased significantly due to transient climatic conditions. Clamped joints may no longer provide airtight building envelopes given the stricter requirements for energy consumption and implications of climate change. A more promising and robust alternative is the use of self-adhesive tapes.


Author(s):  
Weichiang Pang ◽  
Shiling Pei ◽  
Hongyan Liu ◽  
John van de Lindt ◽  
David Rosowsky

Geosciences ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sambit Naik ◽  
Young-Seog Kim ◽  
Taehyung Kim ◽  
Jeong Su-Ho

On 15th November 2017, the Pohang earthquake (Mw 5.4) had strong ground shaking that caused severe liquefaction and lateral spreading across the Heunghae Basin, around Pohang city, South Korea. Such liquefaction is a rare phenomenon during small or moderate earthquakes (MW < 5.5). There are only a few examples around the globe, but more so in the Korean Peninsula. In this paper, we present the results of a systematic survey of the secondary ground effects—i.e., soil liquefaction and ground cracks—developed during the earthquake. Most of the liquefaction sites are clustered near the epicenter and close to the Heunghae fault. Based on the geology, tectonic setting, distribution, and clustering of the sand boils along the southern part of the Heunghae Basin, we propose a geological model, suggesting that the Heunghae fault may have acted as a barrier to the propagation of seismic waves. Other factors like the mountain basin effect and/or amplification of seismic waves by a blind thrust fault could play an important role. Liquefaction phenomenon associated with the 2017 Pohang earthquake emphasizes that there is an urgent need of liquefaction potential mapping for the Pohang city and other areas with a similar geological setting. In areas underlain by extensive unconsolidated basin fill sediments—where the records of past earthquakes are exiguous or indistinct and there is poor implementation of building codes—future earthquakes of similar or larger magnitude as the Pohang earthquake are likely to occur again. Therefore, this represents a hazard that may cause significant societal and economic threats in the future.


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