Where did liquefaction happen in Christchurch?
Rock falls and slope/cliff instabilities in the Port Hills affected significant number of residential properties in the south-eastern part of the city, but the most prominent geotechnical feature of the earthquakes was the widespread and very severe liquefaction in the eastern suburbs of Christchurch.
Why is there a high risk of liquefaction in some parts of Christchurch?
The Liquefaction Lab The sliders cover the range of conditions that could be expected in Christchurch over the next century. This shows that higher groundwater or stronger earthquake shaking can cause more severe liquefaction damage.
Where is the fault line in Christchurch?
The Christchurch Fault is an active seismic fault running under the city of Christchurch in the middle of New Zealand’s South Island. It runs from an area close to Riccarton, under the Central City, through the eastern suburbs off the coast of New Brighton.
What damage did liquefaction cause in Christchurch?
Widespread liquefaction in the suburbs of Christchurch, as well as rock falls and slope/cliff instabilities in the Port Hills affected tens of thousands of residential buildings and properties, and shattered the lifelines and infrastructure over approximately one third of the city area.
How did liquefaction affect Christchurch?
What were the environmental impacts of the Christchurch earthquake 2011?
The Canterbury earthquakes caused a significant change to the natural environment, including liquefaction, lateral spread near waterways, land level changes, and numerous rockfalls and landslides. Air and water quality were also impacted, with water-based recreational activities halted until November 2011.
What damage does liquefaction cause?
Liquefaction takes place when loosely packed, water-logged sediments at or near the ground surface lose their strength in response to strong ground shaking. Liquefaction occurring beneath buildings and other structures can cause major damage during earthquakes.
How far is Christchurch from the Alpine Fault?
100km
The consensus is that the strength of shaking would be much less than has been experienced in the recent Canterbury sequence (because of the 100km distance between the fault and Christchurch), but, because of the much larger magnitude, the low-level shaking would probably go on for a long time and could be expected to …
Why is NZ prone to earthquakes?
Earthquakes in New Zealand occur because we are located on the boundary of two of the world’s major tectonic plates – the Pacific Plate and the Australian Plate. These plates are colliding with huge force, causing one to slowly grind over, under or alongside the other.