ENE Exam 2 Practice

What is the mechanism by which liquefaction leads to ground surface collapse during earthquakes?

Sediment compaction with no water Wet sediment settles and pore water pressure increases Solid rock fractures Magma intrusion

Correct Answer:

Wet sediment settles and pore water pressure increases

Explanation:

Liquefaction occurs when saturated, loose sediments are jolted by shaking, causing the grains to rearrange and the pore spaces to change. Water between the grains resists compression, so excess pore water pressure builds up. This pressure lowers the effective stress that holds the grains together, causing the soil to behave more like a liquid and lose shear strength. As a result, the surface sediments settle and can collapse or subside, producing ground surface subsidence and sometimes lateral spreading. Other options describe processes that don’t involve this rise in pore water pressure in saturated sediments, so they don’t explain liquefaction-driven collapse.

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