Key Observations and Findings on Liquefaction Impacts in the 2010-2011 Christchurch Earthquakes

Professor Misko Cubrinovski

In 2010-2011, a series of strong earthquakes hit Christchurch, New Zealand, generating widespread liquefaction over nearly half of the city area.
Observations from well-documented case histories and comprehensive follow-on research studies are used to discuss key observations and findings on the impacts of liquefaction in these earthquakes. Impacts of urban liquefaction, effects of liquefaction on buildings on shallow foundations, characteristics of lateral spreading, liquefaction-induced damage to bridges, and system response of liquefiable deposits are discussed.

The objective of the talk is to use key observations and findings on soil liquefaction to scrutinize state-of-the-practice and discuss implications for engineering assessment and design.

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