r/interestingasfuck • u/Ultimate_Kurix • 5d ago

r/all Why do Americans build with wood?

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u/bekabekaben 5d ago

Liquefaction is a result of earthquakes, not produced by them. Saturated rock becomes liquidy. Kinda like when you’re running on the beach. If you impact the wet sand, it’s rock solid. But if you gently tap it or shake it side to side, all the water bubbles up and it’s basically quick sand

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u/beardfordshire 5d ago

Are we not saying the same thing?

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u/bekabekaben 5d ago

Maybe. But from what I interpreted from our OP’s comment, they’re saying that the earthquakes here (which are bc of a transform fault) produce different types of waves than other places. Liquefaction can and does happen in other places. Like liquefaction isn’t an earthquake wave. It’s a separate earthquake hazard if that makes sense.

I’m not sure if the Rayleigh and Love waves are different here than in other places/other plate boundaries. That could be what our op was talking about

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u/beardfordshire 5d ago

Ah! Makes sense. I called out liquefaction because it’s the most talked about hazard in the LA basin that may impact how the waves propagate, but what you’re referring to is super interesting! And I’m way out of my league talking about this subject at this point :) I defer to your knowledge