Sinkholes and liquefaction on roads in Christchurch, New Zealand; Credit: Wikimedia Commons
New framework applies big data, supercomputing to soil liquefaction
Homes and offices are only as solid as the ground beneath them. When that solid ground turns to liquid -- as sometimes happens during earthquakes -- it can topple buildings and bridges. The phenomenon is known as liquefaction, and it was a major feature of the 2011 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, a magnitude 6.3 quake that killed 185 people and destroyed thousands of homes.
