October 25th, 2009 by Connor Sullivan

Our home planet is a shifting, moving, groaning, spitting ball of rock. We need to build solid, unmoving, long-lasting buildingson it. To accomplish this feat of construction, builders need to consult an expert in geotechnical engineering. The geotechnical engineer has studied the shifting and moving of our rock ball and gained the knowledge to advise on how to anchor the structures or build them to accommodate what happens underneath.

Earthquakes are among the most frequent and widespread of potential problems that builders must anticipate. Earthquakes can cause many different types of damage, and all must be taken into consideration. The first type of damage that comes to mind when we hear of an earthquake occurrence is surface rupture. An earthquake happens when the earth at a fault line shifts in reaction to deep underground pressures that build up as the tectonic plates grind up against each other. When the pressure is released through an earthquake, the land on one or both sides of the fault line moves a little or a lot. This movement can take many forms. A crack may open in the earth as the two sides pull apart. The shift might be in the plane of the surface, which might shift a road so that it becomes misaligned. There might be a change of altitude, with one side of the fault becoming higher or lower than the other side.

Another possible result of an earthquake might be a landslide. If it occurs in an area of hills or cliffs, the land under the hill or cliff can be broken up and dislodged and, succumbing to gravity’s pull, come tumbling to the lower elevation. Unfortunately, objects at the edge, whether trees or houses, will most likely also come tumbling down with it.

Still one more effect of the quake might be subsidence. This effect might take place when the path of the earthquake takes a bend or steps over the land. In this instance, there is tension in the land, and a land area can settle very suddenly. If the quake occurs on a waterfront area, a section of the land may quickly sink under water.

An even larger danger in an earthquake at the shore can be liquefaction. This type of damage is most likely to occur near a port or a dam. Liquefaction happens when the soil is broken up and is invaded by the nearby water. The result is a sort of soupy mixture that can swallow up roadways and sink harbors. As the land slides into the water, it can also open up other cracks in adjoining areas. This movement of the earth can then collapse any other structures that were built there.

For many reasons, humanity considers these earthquake-prone areas to be the most attractive places to settle. Consider the most well-liked and admired State in the United States-California. On the other side of the Pacific Rim is Japan, also densely populated. Is it the dramatic landscape that developed as a result of this shifting falling landscape? Most likely.

Connor R. Sullivan recently met with a skilled geotechnical engineer for an engineering project he is working on. He hired a geotechnical engineering firm for a road construction project.

Careers, geotechnical engineer