The 2011 MW = 9.0 Tohoku-oki earthquake generated a large number of unique soil liquefaction case histories, including cases with strong ground motion recordings on liquefiable or potentially liquefiable soils. We have compiled a list of 22 strong motion stations (SMS) where surface evidence of liquefaction was observed and 16 SMS underlain by geologically recent sediments or fills where surface evidence of liquefaction was not observed. Pre-earthquake standard penetration test data and borehole shear wave velocity (Vs) profiles are available for some stations, but critical information, such as grain size distribution and fines plasticity, are often lacking. In the heavily damaged city of Urayasu, we performed post-earthquake cone penetration testing at seven SMS and Vs profiles, using surface wave methods at 28 additional locations to supplement existing geotechnical data. We describe the liquefaction effects in Urayasu, the available site characterization data, and our initial data interpretations.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AndrusR. D., and StokoeK. H.II, 2000. Liquefaction resistance of soils from shear wave velocity, Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, ASCE, 126, 1015–1025.
2.
BoulangerR., 2012. Liquefaction in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake: Lessons learned for U.S. practice, Proc., Intl. Symposium on Engineering Lessons Learned from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, 1–4 March 2012, Tokyo, Japan, 601–606.
3.
DobryR., 2012. Personal communication.
4.
Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance (GEER) Association, 2011a. Quick Report 1: Geo-technical Quick Report on the Kanto Plain Region during the March 11, 2011, Off Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake, Japan, Report GEER-025a, http://geerassociation.org/.
5.
Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance (GEER) Association, 2011b. Quick Report 2: Preliminary Observations of Levee Performance and Damage Following the March 11, 2011 Tohoku Offshore Earthquake, Japan, Report GEER-025b, http://geerassociation.org/.
6.
Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance (GEER) Association, 2011c. Google Earth File (May 10, 2011) for Tohoku Earthquake, Japan, Report GEER-025b, http://geerassociation.org/.
7.
Geotechnical Extreme Events Reconnaissance (GEER) Association, 2011d. Geotechnical Effects of the Mw 9.0 Tohoku, Japan, Earthquake of March 11, 2011, EERI Special Earthquake Report, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, September, 12 pp.
8.
IdrissI. M., and BoulangerR. W., 2008. Soil Liquefaction during Earthquakes, MNO-12, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, Oakland, CA.
9.
IshiharaK., ArakiK., and BradleyB., 2011. Characteristics of liquefaction-induced damage in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, Geotec Hanoi, October, ISBN 978-604-82-000-8.
10.
KatsumataK., and TokimatsuK., 2012. Relationship between seismic characteristics and soil liquefaction of Urayasu City induced by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, Proc., 9th International Conference on Urban Earthquake Engineering/4th Asia Conference on Earthquake Engineering, 6–8 March 2012, Tokyo, Japan, 601–606.
11.
KayenR., MossR. E. S., ThompsonE. M., SeedR. B., CetinK. O., Der KiureghianA., TanakaY., and TokimatsuK., 2012a. Shear wave velocity-based probabilistic and deterministic assessment of seismic soil liquefaction potential, Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, ASCE, in press.
12.
KayenR. E., IshiharaK., StewartJ. P., TokimatsuK., CoxB. R., TanakaY., KokushoT., MasonH. B., MossR. E. S., ZekkosD., WoodC. M., KatsumataK., EstevezI. A., CullenwardS. S., TanakaH., HarderL. F., KelsonK. I., and KishidaT., 2012b. Geotechnical deformations at ground failure sites from the March 11, 2011 Great Tohoku Earthquake, Japan: Field mapping, LiDAR modeling, and surface wave investigation, Proc., 9th International Conference on Urban Earthquake Engineering/4th Asia Conference on Earthquake Engineering, 6–8 March 2012, Tokyo, Japan.
13.
National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention (NIED), 2011. http://www.bosai.go.jp, Japan.
14.
RobertsonP. K., 1990. Soil classification using the cone penetration test, Canadian Geotechnical Journal27, 151–58.
15.
RobertsonP. K., and WrideC. E., 1998. Evaluating cyclic liquefaction potential using the cone penetration test, Canadian Geotechnical Journal35, 442–459.
16.
StewartJ. P., HuJ., KayenR. E., LemboA. J.Jr., CollinsB. D., DavisC. A., and O'RourkeT. D., 2009. Use of airborne and terrestrial LIDAR to detect ground displacement hazards to water systems, J. Surveying Engineering, ASCE, 135, 113–124.
17.
StewartJ. P., MidorikawaS., GravesR. W., KhodaverdiK., KishidaT., MiuraH., BozorgniaY., and CampbellK. W., 2013. Implications of Mw 9.0 Tohoku-oki, Japan, earthquake for ground motion scaling with source, path, and site parameters, Earthquake Spectra, 29, S1–S21.
18.
TokimatsuK., and KatsumataK., 2012. Liquefaction-induced damage to buildings in Urayasu City during the 2011 Tohoku Pacific Earthquake, Proc., Intl. Symposium on Engineering Lessons Learned from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, 1–4 March 2012, Tokyo, Japan, 665–674.
19.
TokimatsuK., TamuraS., SuzukiH., and KatsumataK., 2012. Geotechnical problems in the 2011 Tohoku Pacific earthquake, Proc., 9th International Conference on Urban Earthquake Engineering/4th Asia Conference on Earthquake Engineering, 6–8 March 2012, Tokyo, Japan, 49–61.
20.
TokimatsuK., TamuraS., SuzukiH., and KatsumataK., 2011. Quick Report on Geotechnical Problems in the 2011 Tohoku Pacific Ocean Earthquake, Research Reports on Earthquake Engineering, CUEE, Tokyo Institute of Technology, No. 118, 21–47 (in Japanese).
21.
TokimatsuK., and AsakaY., 1998. Effects of liquefaction-induced ground displacements on pile performance in the 1995 Hyogoken-Nambu earthquake, Soils and Foundations38, Special Issue, 163–177.
22.
TsukamotoY., KawabeS., KokushoT., and ArakiK., 2012. Observed performance and estimated soil properties of reclaimed and natural deposits at Kamisu City during 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, Proc., Intl. Symposium on Engineering Lessons Learned from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, 1–4 March 2012, Tokyo, Japan, 143–146.
