Machine Helps Predict How Ground Will Move in an Earthquake

Ed Yeates Reporting A big mean machine from the University of Texas is in town right now, triggering little earthquakes around the valley. It's collecting data to show just how the ground will move under your house or business when the BIG quake hits.

This ground mover, called the Liquidator, shakes things up on a small scale so scientists can find out what the ground will do in a big earthquake.

Jim Bay, Utah State University Civil Engineering: "So if it's rock all the way up, you're going to get different shaking than you would get at a site like this where you have very deep soil."

The machine causes the ground to vibrate -- in essence, creating a small, low frequency earthquake.

During a demo at about 5600 west and 7th south, the 20 thousand pounds of force Liquidator exerts under its hammer proves the unconsolidated soils will amplify and shake more than normal. Liquidator triggers deep shock waves, showing not just what the surface layer does, but sub-layers as well.

Gary Christensen, Utah Geologic: "Where we only have information down to about a hundred feet, these guys get down a thousand feet."

This kind of information will help build an accurate model so designers can see how strong they need to build in specific locations.

We simply can't ignore the risk. In fact, a new earthquake report, just released, is sobering. Envision complete power outages, gas leaks, cell phone towers down, 911 emergency centers overwhelmed with calls, TRAX trains inoperable with their two bridges over I-80 and I-215 collapsed, half the school buildings down. A projection of 5,000 dead, 60-thousand seriously injured, with not enough hospital beds to treat them.

Geologists say finding out exactly how the valley will rock and roll is essential.

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