ABSTRACT

Causes for the rise of pore water pressure include fluctuations of groundwater level and wave action in addition to the repeated actions of shear stresses on saturated sandy soil during earthquake. This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses mainly on liquefaction caused by the action of shearing forces during earthquakes. Therefore, it is important to determine the damage mechanism and its mode and to select effective methods in dealing with the liquefaction. The first way is the concept of damage, second is the effects of damage, and third is the yardstick to measure the extent of damage. Structural measures to reduce damage caused by liquefaction depend on the type of structure, and include various methods, such as supporting structures by pile foundations, confining the deformation of the ground around structures, balancing the weight and buoyancy of a structure, and using flexible structures.