The Science Behind Japan‘s Incredible ’Liquefaction’ Videos
- Posted on April 14, 2011 at 12:55pm by
Jonathon M. Seidl
- Print »
- Email »
The videos started popping up as soon as the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan last month. They show the ground beneath japan seemingly coming alive, moving and swelling like ocean waves. Water also seems to appear out of nowhere. One video in particular caught the eye of Glenn Beck on radio this morning. It’s called “liquefaction.” But how does it happen? We have the answers for you.
First, some of the videos (the first one is the one Beck talked about):
Earlier this month, the Washington Post did a story on the city of Urayasu, Japan, which because of this phenomenon is falling apart. It explains what exactly causes liquefaction:
To the list of destructive forces that have wracked Japan — earthquake, tsunami, radiation from a crippled nuclear power plant — can be added liquefaction, a phenomenon that occurs when the earth’s violent shaking forces sand particles, once packed tightly, to shift apart and allow water to seep in.
A website that claims to be part of the University of Washington explains more:
Liquefaction is a phenomenon in which the strength and stiffness of a soil is reduced by earthquake shaking or other rapid loading. Liquefaction and related phenomena have been responsible for tremendous amounts of damage in historical earthquakes around the world.
Liquefaction occurs in saturated soils, that is, soils in which the space between individual particles is completely filled with water. This water exerts a pressure on the soil particles that influences how tightly the particles themselves are pressed together. Prior to an earthquake, the water pressure is relatively low. However, earthquake shaking can cause the water pressure to increase to the point where the soil particles can readily move with respect to each other.
According to the Post story, the Japanese city is particularly susceptible to the phenomenon because of the make-up of its soil:
Susumu Yasuda, a civil engineer from Tokyo Denki University, said that Urayasu is highly susceptible to liquefaction because the town, built after World War II, sits on reclaimed land made from a mix of volcanic ash, garbage and sand dredged from Tokyo Bay.
Although the Japanese government had enacted stricter liquefaction building codes for factories after a 1964 earthquake, most residential homes were built without 60-foot underground steel reinforcement poles, which were considered too expensive, Yasuda said.
He said he worries that Urayasu officials are rebuilding too quickly, noting that the ground remains vulnerable to repeated liquefaction if a major aftershock occurs. In Christchurch, New Zealand, a February aftershock from an earthquake in September sent mud oozing 20 inches above ground — higher than it had piled during the initial quake.
No matter if it’s expected or not, the footage is still awe-inspiring.
Popular Stories
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 587 Comments
‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 414 Comments
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 414 Comments
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 378 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 375 Comments
Faith
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 414 Comments
Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 414 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
- President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 378 Comments
- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 151 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 303 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 414 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (111)
grahampink
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 4:41pmYou do not want to be anywhere near what we call the lower mainland, that is Vancouver, British Columbia and surrounding area during the big one.
Report Post »A good sized area is going to sink, deeply.
ravenalexs
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 4:30pmYikes….is this what was predicted in the Bible … the earth opening up and swallowing mankind???
Report Post »rosecityken
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 4:26pmIt could and probably will happen to my hometown…portland,or. and seattle washington too alot of land along the waterfront/riverfront for miles is fill dirt. in fact going north out of portland on highway 30 there are large fuel depots on that land…and we are on the rim of fire….with all the shaking on the other side(japan) it is only a matter of time…in fact seismologists say we are overdue for a “BIG” one…(i hate it when seismologists say that, it cant be good)
Report Post »tea1776
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 4:08pmWe’ll miss watching the Beck program but we still have Bill Orielly and the factor. He’s another good guy.
Report Post »kozski
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 4:45pmBill is not the same. Bill is all about staying on the air. The day Beck made his announcement, Bill had Al Sharpton and that other black new york senator, can’t think of his name at the moment but the point is, I had to turn the channel. Billy is trying to hard to be fair & balanced he is accepting lying and spinning where he didn’t used to.
Report Post »GrammyC
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 3:59pmLiquefaction happens more frequently than most of us know. I recently helped my granddaughter with a 3rd grade science fair project and we did it on Liquefaction with different types of soil .
In doing our research, we found the following website that is about the New Madrid Fault located between western TN and Arkansas. Two hundred years ago, the US had about seven 7.0 – 8.0 earthquakes in that area that actually made the Mississippi River run backwards for hours. Aerial photos on the site show evidence of liquefaction in the area. http://showme.net/~fkeller/quake/index.htm
This is an area to keep an eye on. There have been over 900 small quakes in the area in the last six months. Can you imagine the damage if that area was hit with a major quake? Some people thought that “fracking”, a type of drilling in the area, was the cause. They stopped fracking on March 4th, but the shaking hasn’t stopped. There was a 4.2 last week I believe. By the way, the site said that 4 of the 5 main natural gas pipelines run right through this area.
Report Post »ginger100
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 3:34pmFracking in PA
Report Post »Nations
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 3:32pmI have lived anciently for eons due to my study of humanity and Archaeology. I have seen the world destroyed in my imaginings of past events and I fear poor Japan may slip below the seas if this continues. Liquefaction becomes possible when earthquakes go beyond 9.0 depending upon the depth/s of development. From what I see, I would be moving off that island asap. Be sure to stock up on parts as soon as possible if you own any Japanese products. Poor Japan, it once was the last refuge of the Jomon who escaped an ancient subduction 12,900 years ago on a low-lying continent called Mu. That old land had great Sequoia trees that later found a foothold in California. We are witnessing the last days once again.
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 2:36pmGod have mercy on these people. When is it enough? I’m pleasantly surprised that they are calm. I can imagine what life would be like if our Country had such occurrences happening every day.
Report Post »Stu D. Baker-Hawk
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 9:36pmYou may not have to wait too long. If you’re a believer in the Holy Word of the Bible, and if you’re not blind to the world events unfolding before us each day, then you’ll find it easier to realize this was prophesized, that earthquakes would become more frequent and more violent the closer to the end of days. Watch for the signs… and believe in the eternal salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Report Post »Insanityrules
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 2:21pmThey used to call that phenomena quicksand.
Report Post »KSherrell
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 2:18pmThen the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great (Revelation 16:17-21).
Report Post »Swordsmansmith
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 2:11pmLiquefaction? Dont they mean liquefacation as in turning to liquid not a group or organazation?
Report Post »stitchak
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 2:22pmliq·ue·fac·tion – the process of liquefying something, or the state of having been liquefied
Report Post »El Paco
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 5:00pmIt’s a geotechnical term, or “Dirt Engineers” as I like to call them.
Basically, the soil has so much water in it that when a seismic activity hits it, it basically turns into a liquid. Think of being at the beach and digging down deep enough to where you hit the water table. When you pat the ground, the sand turns into water-ish slop. That’s what happened in China.
Report Post »El Paco
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 5:01pmI meant Japan…. I’m a dunce.
Report Post »Rikster
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 2:09pmThe same thing happenned here in the Seattle area when we had the “Nisqually Earthquake” of 2001. There were reports of waterspouts around Boeing Field, which had been built on former tidelands. Liquefaction has been mentioned as being a problem when the next one hits here in the area.
Report Post »But yeah, SURF’S UP!!
blazefordaze
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 2:07pmLiving in Los Angeles, I couldn’t get renters insurance because I lived in a potential liquefaction zone. Needless to say, I didn’t live there long.
Report Post »4wheels
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 2:00pmI sure do miss Glenn on TV. The judge is just not doing it for me. He is kinda like a hanity rather than a glenn. I just had to say that some place.
jnobfan
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 2:29pmI was hoping for Michel Malkin
Report Post »kozski
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 3:19pmI totally agree with you. I really think there is more to this “phasing out” thing. Do you think Soro’s finally uncovered something about Glenn?
Report Post »ccbennett
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 4:38pmI totally agree on both points, Beck and no place to post like a forum.
Report Post »PeachyinGA
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 9:24pmI think Glenn is a very shrewd businessman in addition to having a divine knowledge. A 5 o’clock Fox show will seem like peanuts compared to what he has in store for us. I do think you will have to be computer-wise-accessible. He is not one to slink off into the night because someone intimidated him. He has nothing to hide and cannot be blackmailed. Have faith!
Report Post »QuiteContrary
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:50pmyea, the judge just doesn’t do it for me either. as for hannity, although I agree with most of what he says, I cant hardly stand him either. Wonder why?
Report Post »W@nd@
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:45pmHow long will the structures there be sustainable? (is what i want to know) and How far into the rest of the country is there evidence this is an issue?…
Report Post »I would think these people could be at great risk!….and
yet life goes on somewhat tentatively but as usual…
After what they have gone through
i would hate to think there was still more to deal with
but looks like this is a reality here..
they should really be assessing this situation and making plans now…
I sure would be making plans to get away from there if i were them…
I do not think it is at all safe!
Sinista MACE
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:42pmIt happens because of the wave-particle duality of matter, where if you excite any matter with the proper waveform of the proper frequency and amplitude you can cause phase-shifts, turning solids into liquids, or liquids into gases, or gases into plasmas, Bose- Einstein condensates, and it is a time-reversible process.
The HAARP can indeed cause this, by reflecting directed waveforms off the ionosphere to almost any point on the earth, with extreme amplitudes and frequencies.
Report Post »felina g
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:58pmDarn straight !
Report Post »BeerSnob
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 3:50pmI drank a HARP once…. didn’t realy care for it
Report Post »thepatriotdave
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:32pmPersonally, I don’t think there is anything funny about this. What if this was happening to your town, city, country?
Report Post »Bloody Sam
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:42pmI’d have left already.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:50pmThe people, IN THE VIDEO THERE, are laughing.
Report Post »paleoconservatarian
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 11:10pmThe people, in the video there, have a right too, as something very unusual was happening – to them – right before their eyes. There”s a wide distinction between a person laughing in the throes of their own predicament as opposed to some casual observer laughing at their predicament. Also, this was hundreds of miles away from the epicenter and they didn’t know that at that very moment 25,000 people were dying. We know that a month later.
Report Post »Values101
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:17pmUnbelievable!
Report Post »gzs3grls
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:15pmSionara Nipon
Report Post »StevenL1955
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:13pmWow
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:09pmI think the screaming in the video is because they see Mothra flying toward them in the distance.
Report Post »obamanation
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:06pmI blame global warming.
Report Post »chirodoc007
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:09pmIt may also be Bush’s fault! It’s also evidence that we need to tax the rich.
Report Post »felina g
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:05pmFracking Bill passed for US.
Report Post »http://www.rense.com/general93/FRACK.HTM
Same problem here.
felina g
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:59pmThey passed the bill while YOU were looking at the budget show.
Report Post »Mendiburu
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 4:53pmThis fracking debate is ridiculous. Every story I’ve read about it has misinformation and half-truths. Every article I’ve read quotes the EPA as saying that fracking MAY cause problems. There is no proof, just a bunch of local unexplained horror stories. Yes, chemicals are injected into the ground more than a mile down. After this process, They pump it all back out into sealed frac tanks. The wells are cased in concrete and pipe well below the water table.
I believe most of the misinformation began with coal lobbyists trying to look better. Notice that every article you read about how horrible fracking is has something good to say about coal. I’m not saying anything against coal, just noticing a trend in the articles.
Stand in the truth.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:02pmIf Japan would leave the destruction and not fix it. Scientists 30 years from now would claim it was plate erosion that took 30 million years to form cracks in the sidewalk.
Report Post »66 bronco
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 2:55pmexactly what I was thinking…..
Report Post »insight
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 4:41pmor someone from The South would say they were always there
Report Post »RedeemedWench
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 2:55pm@INSIGHT Are you mocking southerners or did I miss something? Surely not? I would say we have enough divisiveness without such a comment. Surely you’ve heard–the war is over, lol.
Report Post »And yes, I am a southern girl. :-)
God Bless
IMISSGWB
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 4:01pmToo funny & you are right they would say that. Gore would fly over in a huge jet to declare to the world that global warming caused it.
Report Post »J.C. McGlynn
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 12:58pmLet’s go surfing.
Report Post »Gold Coin & Economic News
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:06pmThis is kind of like what Obama is doing to our economy.
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:13pmLets blame Bush and the Republicans. What did they do in the last decade to prevent this from happening.
Report Post »Obama Snake Oil Co
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:37pmGeeeezzzzz…..I don’t think any of us can imagine this in our country….yea surging the sidewalks..
Oil_Robb
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:37pmWhats with all those losers and the masks….they dont do squat
Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 1:48pmLooks like Hank Johnson may have right after all.
Report Post »Corruptgovernment
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 2:24pmThey had better move to solid land.
It looks like watery potting soil.
Report Post »Corruptgovernment
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 2:29pmIt also looks like quicksand. Not good.
Report Post »J.C. McGlynn
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 2:54pmTo ObamaSnakeOil: This has happened in this country. In San Francisco around 1905/06 where a three story building sank to where the third floor was at ground level.
Report Post »Micmac
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 3:03pm@ obama snake oil
San Francisco has buildings built on reclaimed bay. If you take the “soil” and put in it a jar and let it dry out it shrinks in size by a factor of 10 – did it for a school project many years ago. They overcome it by using a 10″ thicken slab, but that doesn’t preclude liquidfaction from shifting the building as a whole. Cassons help mitigate movement but, as I read in the article above they decided to NOT install them. REALLY REALLY stupid. I blame Bush….. *wink*
Report Post »WhiteFang
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 4:19pmThis is incredible video. The Japanese people have so much to deal with now, and I am sure they are overwhelmed as to the task of repairing their country and economy. Sad.
Report Post »Professional Infidel
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 6:47pmI thought I’d just taken a hit!!
Report Post »thebarbarian
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 7:48pm@oil-rob
Report Post »the masks are for particulates that can be ejected from the groud suddenly and violently. if you breath it in you can be incopasitated or suffocated. that kind of makes it more difficult to survive a quake.
so they actually do more that squat. please be considerate of their situation.it‘s tough enough for them dealing with the losses they’ve endured. thanks.
GONESURFING
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 8:08pmI guess it‘s easy to make light of something like this when it’s not happening in your neighborhood.
Report Post »777phase
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 8:47pmI wonder if this is salt water?
Report Post »independentvoteril
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 8:48pmMy first though can you imagine having a few drinks and being high and witnessing this??? or trying to walk on it??? Than after learning what they used to BUILD land.. my impression on what is going on is pretty much on the mark.. they did the same thing in CHICAGO built up land out of STUFF much of which if exposed either on TOP or BOTTOM.. of this man made garbage dump (either in JAPAN or CHICAGO) with any type of earth disruption such as an earth quake or wave corrosion the WATER will WIN.. the water coming up is the WAVES of the ocean under it.. this is an ISLAND upon and island.. another earth quake and it could be a FLOATING island.. 60′ steel poles or not UNLESS they were sunk into the ocean bed (and I don’t like the chances even if they were) this land has a 50/50 chance of leaving the main land and it again being a bay..
Report Post »GrannyATL
Posted on April 14, 2011 at 10:57pmThat first video is really creepy. It looks like the earth is breathing!
Report Post »proudconservative
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 8:31amWow it is like the land is just floating on the Ocean. I guess it would make ideal conditions for growing rice and nothing absorbs water better.
Report Post »Igno Ramus
Posted on April 15, 2011 at 8:25pmOBAMA SNAKE OIL COMPANY—— If the New Madrid Fault were to let go today, Memphis, TN and St. Louis, MO would get a firsthand lesson in liquifaction. It is believed that a 8.0 earth tremor could sink either or both cities 6 our 7 feet easily. The buildings would just sink into the ground because the soil would have no substance or solidity. It would be like trying to float your house in the ocean.
Report Post »