Abstract:
In the Dictionary of Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering (2)
liquefaction is defined as follows:
‘The state existing when saturated sandy soil loses shearing
strength and effective stresses are reduced as a result of increased
pore water pressure is called liquefaction’.
Causes for the rise of pore water pressure include fluctuations of
groundwater level and wave action in addition to the repeated
actions of shear stresses on saturated sandy soil during
earthquakes. The Niigata Earthquake of 1964 taught that damage
can result from liquefaction of the ground caused by an earthquake.
During past earthquakes, people had observed the phenomenon of
mud or sand mixed with water blowing out of the ground. Some
