2021 journal article
Geotechnical lessons from the M-w 7.1 2018 Anchorage Alaska earthquake
EARTHQUAKE SPECTRA, 37(4), 2372–2399.
author keywords: Reconnaissance; spatial variability; liquefaction triggering; cyclic softening; ground improvement
open access via journals.sagepub.com (publisher PDF)
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
(Web of Science; OpenAlex)
Source: Web Of Science
Added: November 23, 2021
The 2018 Mw 7.1 Anchorage, Alaska, earthquake is one of the largest earthquakes to strike near a major US city since the 1994 Northridge earthquake. The significance of this event motivated reconnaissance efforts to thoroughly document damage to the built environment. This article presents the spatial variability of ground motion intensity and its correlation with subsurface conditions in Anchorage, the identification of liquefaction triggering in the absence of surficial manifestations (such as sand boils or sediment ejecta), cyclic softening failure in organic soils, and the poor performance of anthropogenic fills subjected to cyclic loading. In addition to lessons from observed ground deformation and geotechnical effects on structures, this article provides case studies documenting the satisfactory behavior of improved ground subjected to cyclic loading and the appropriateness of current design procedures for the estimation of seismically induced sliding displacements of mechanically stabilized earth walls.