Environmental Geology 103L
Names: ___________________________
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Earthquakes and Earthquake Hazards
PART 1: Fundamentals of Earthquakes
Use section 16.2 in your lab manual to help answer questions 1-6.
This video is also helpful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSgB1IWr6O4
1. Define an earthquake:
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2. Along fault C, below, label A and B as the epicenter or focus:
3. In the drawing above, an earthquake occurs at location A. Your house is located at B. Put the 4 seismic
waves in order of arrival time at your house: ____ ____ ____ ____
4. What is the name of the instrument that records an earthquake? ________________________
5. What is the name of the record created by this instrument? ____________________________
6. Page 415 in your lab manual shows the amplitude of seismic waves on a seismogram. The amplitude is
correlated to intensity of each wave, and therefore the damage it can cause.
a. Which wave do you think is the least destructive and why?
b. Which wave do you think is the most destructive and why?
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PART 2: Where do Earthquakes occur?
1. Compare the seismology map (provided by your instructor) to the map on page 26 in your lab manual.
What is the pattern regarding the location of most earthquakes?
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2. Look at all of the faults that are part of the San Andreas fault network:
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/earthq3/where2.html
a. Are each of these faults on a plate boundary, or does a plate boundary create more than one
fault? EXPLAIN:
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3. Go to this site and scroll down and look at the map: https://community.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake/besmart
a. What is unusual about the high intensity areas of the map located east of Kansas?
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4. Look at this map of South Carolina’ seismic activity:
http://www.seis.sc.edu/projects/SCSN/history/html/scsn.html, and then observe the plate boundary map
on page 26 of your lab manual. The earthquakes in the SC map occurred along faults, as almost all
earthquakes do.
a. Where is the closest plate boundary to South Carolina?
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b. What type of plate boundary is this? ____________________________
c. Would you expect there to be this many faults in SC? _________
d. How do you think these faults were created?
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5. The top map on the following site shows the location of major earthquakes in the US:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/us_damage_eq.php.
a. Do most major earthquakes occur near or along a plate boundary? __________
PART 3: What are the different types of faults, and where are they located?
You now know that faults are created due to stress being applied to rock. Different types of stress create
different types of faults, as you started to explore in Lab 1.
This site will may help with the following questions:
https://www.iris.edu/hq/programs/education_and_outreach/animations/2 (note the Quicktime movies to
the bottom right of each fault type).
1. Draw arrows indicating the direction of each type of stress, and name the plate boundary with that same
motion:
a. Compression: Direction: _________ Boundary: _______________________________________
b. Tension: Direction: _________ Boundary: ___________________________________________
c. Shear: Direction: _________ Boundary: _____________________________________________
2. Observe the three drawings below and apply tension and compression stresses to the blocks provided by
your instructor. In the boxes to the right of the diagram, indicate which plate boundary type is associated
with each type of fault:
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Plate Boundry Type:
Plate Boundry Type:
3. Now apply shear stress to the blocks, so that neither block moves vertically but rather they slide past
each other. Which type of plate boundary is this an example of? ________________________________
Locate the following coordinates on the seismology map and use your knowledge from Lab 1, and page
26 in your manual, to answer the following:
4. The San Andreas fault is located at approximately 120oW and 35oN.
a. What type of plate boundary is this? _________________________
b. What type of fault would you expect to find there? _____________________________
5. The Himalayan mountains are located at approximately 80oE 30oN.
a. What type of plate boundary is this? _________________________
b. What type of fault would you expect to find there? _____________________________
6. Iceland is located at approximately 20oW 65oN.
a. What type of plate boundary is this? _________________________
b. What type of fault would you expect to find there? _____________________________
7. Look at this map of the largest magnitude earthquakes in the world since the year 1900:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/world/10_largest_world.php. At which predominant plate
boundary have most major quakes occurred? ____________________________________________
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PART 4: Does damage from earthquakes depend on what we build on, or with?
In this section, you will control for certain factors and vary ONE factor at a time to observe the differences in
earthquake damage. Use the following link to access the Earthquake simulator. From the dropdown menu at the
top of the image on the simulator, select the options indicated in the table and fill out the Result column in the
table. Then answer the questions following that table.
http://www.cosmeo.com/braingames/makeaquake/index.cfm?title=Make%20a%20Quake
Ground Type
Magnitude
Prevention
Mechanism
Coastal
Superquake
Reinforced masonry
Coastal
Superquake
Foundation
Anchoring
Coastal
Superquake
Base Isolation
Coastal
Superquake
Pile Foundation
Result
1. Which factor varied in the table above? ____________________________________________________
2. Which prevention mechanism was the best? ________________________________________________
3. Which was the worst? __________________________________________________________________
Ground Type
Magnitude
Prevention
Mechanism
Stable, solid
Superquake
Base Isolation
Fault zone
Superquake
Base Isolation
Loose gravel
Superquake
Base Isolation
Coastal
Superquake
Base Isolation
1.
2.
3.
4.
Result
Which factor varied in the table above? ____________________________________________________
Which ground type was the best? ________________________________________________
Which was the worst? __________________________________________________________________
Combining your knowledge of the two tables, which combination of ground type and materials would you
want to build your house upon/with in an earthquake zone?
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PART 5: Earthquake Hazards
Location
Northridge, CA
Nisqually, WA
Haiti
Date
1994
2001
2010
Magnitude
6.7
6.8
7.0
Fatalities
60
0
316,000
Damage ($)
~40 billion
A few million
13+ billion
Depth
12 miles
33 miles
8 miles
1. The earthquakes in the table above have relatively similar magnitudes.
a. What observation can you make from the table above about earthquake depth in relation to
damage and fatalities?
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b. The Haiti earthquake of 2010 had many more fatalities than the other two listed above, despite
having a similar magnitude. Besides having a shallow depth, why do you think this is?
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It is well known that earthquakes can cause damage from buildings/objects falling or collapsing.
Let’s explore two other hazards that earthquakes can cause.
Explore this webpage and the NG video answer questions 2-6:
http://itic.ioc-unesco.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1158&Itemid=2026
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/101-videos/tsunami-101
2. What depth of earthquake causes the most tsunamis? ____________________________
3. Where is the fault usually located in the event of a tsunami? ____________________________________
4. How does an earthquake create a tsunami?
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5. The 2004 Indonesian earthquake was so deadly because of a tsunami that affected many countries
including Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand. Using your physiographic map from last week:
a. Plot this earthquake: 35oS, 100oE, and note where the other countries affected are located.
b. Plot the approximate locations of the tsunami warning buoys:
i. Pacific Center, Ewa Beach, HI: 20oN, 158oW
ii. Alaska Center, Palmer, AK: 60oN, 150oW
6. What can you observe about the locations of the buoys vs. the where the 2004 tsunami struck?
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7. Go to the liquefaction station and follow the instructions on the sheet, then answer the following (page
424 in your manual will also help to understand liquefaction):
a. How does liquefaction occur?
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b. In what type of setting does liquefaction occur? _______________________________________
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Explore the following links to learn about liquefaction and then answer questions 8-10.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=536xSZ_XkSs. (Watch the seismograms on the bottom!)
8. Which seismogram had the highest amplitude waves? ___________
9. What type of ground is the most susceptible to liquefaction? ________________________________
10. Which type is the least susceptible? _____________________________________
PART 6: The Charleston Earthquake
A: Introduction and History:
Use the following links to answer questions 1-8:
http://scearthquakes.cofc.edu/pdf/EQGuide2012.pdf
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/states/events/1886_09_01.php
1. In what year did the Charleston earthquake occur? _____________
2. What is the estimated magnitude of the Charleston Earthquake? ________
3. Where was the epicenter of the earthquake? ________________________________________________
4. What is the name of the seismic zone where the earthquake occurred?
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5. How many fatalities were there? ____________
6. What have paleoseismic (the study of past seismic activity) studies shown?
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7. Is Charleston located on a plate boundary? _______
8. If not, why are there earthquakes here?
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B: What are the Earth’s materials beneath Charleston?
Earlier in lab, you learned that the type of materials built upon makes a difference in the event of an earthquake,
and also for the risk of liquefaction. Now we will explore what Charleston is like underneath our feet.
1. Examine the core models, in the two tall containers. These containers contain the layers of earth
underneath CofC and MUSC (If you do not know where these locations are ask your instructor). The
diagrams below show the stratigraphy (the layers of rock and sediment) that are found beneath MUSC
(near the edges of the peninsula) and the College of Charleston (near the interior). After observing the
cores and diagrams, fill out the table below. DO NOT SHAKE THE CORE CONTAINERS!
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MUSC CORE
C OF C CORE
Artificial Fill
Modern
Beach
Deposits
Ancient
Beach
Deposits
Ancient
Beach
Deposits
Wando
Formation
Wando
Formation

In the table below, indicate:
o If the sediment is compacted or uncompacted.
o If the grain size is sand, clay, or sand and pebbles mixed
MUSC CORE
LAYER
Compacted?
C OF C CORE
Grain Size?
Artificial Fill
Compacted?
NA
Grain Size?
NA
Modern Beach
NA
NA
Ancient Beach
Wando Formation
1. Out of each layer, which do you predict would be the most stable during an earthquake?
Artificial Fill
Modern Beach Deposit
Ancient Beach Deposits
Wando Formation
2. Why?
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
Now take the SMALL container of just artificial fill (not the core). Place several pennies vertically about
halfway in the material, imitating the vertical walls of buildings or structures constructed on this ground
material. Simulate an earthquake by gently tapping the container on the table. Observe what happens to
the “buildings.” Repeat with each of the ground types in the small containers.
3. Which ground material was the most stable and why?
4. Which ground material was the least stable and why?
5. What happened to the buildings in this material during your simulated earthquake?
6. Which ground materials are most likely to experience liquefaction and why?
7. Which cores are more stable during earthquakes – MUSC or COFC and why?
8. If you had to build on the outer edge of the peninsula like MUSC is, how could you design a building to mitigate
the effects of the unstable upper layers of ground materials? (Hint: think bac k to the simulation that allowed you to
try out different types of prevention mechanisms).
9. A total of 6956 buildings were damaged according to a report completed on the 1886 earthquake. What can
you conclude from the table below about the type of building materials vs. damage?
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% of total wood buildings damaged
% of total brick buildings damaged
Total
65%
7%
On Made ground
69%
96%
(% of total)
*Data from Robinson and Talwani (1983). Analyzed from a Dec.11, 1886 report completed by insurance companies.
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C: Historic Maps of Charleston-what can we learn?
For the following questions, look at the ppt of historic maps and earthquake photos on OAKS.
1. Slide #2 is a rough geologic map of downtown Charleston before there was any development. What do
you notice about the edges of the peninsula (what is the ground made of?)?
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2. In the same slide the purple represents the water from the Cooper and Ashley Rivers. Do you notice
anything about the edges of the peninsula and the water coming into it (do you think it looks different from
what we see today?)?
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3. Slide #4 shows development on the peninsula as of 1739. Are the edges of the peninsula still made of
marshes? ________
4. Do you still see the tidal creeks that existed before the development? ___________
5. Note: Slide #5 shows increasing development in the Charleston peninsula, as of the late 1800’s.
6. Slide #6 shows an outline (in red) of the peninsula as it is today. How did the city expand the peninsula
that far (Hint: Think back to the types of ground materials you studied earlier)?
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7. What is under that new material? _________________________________________________________
8. How and WHY would an earthquake today, with the same magnitude, be different than the 1886 quake?
Be specific about the following:
a. Destruction in downtown Charleston:
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b. Destruction in surrounding areas:
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c. Fatalities and injuries:
_____________________________________________________________________________
9. If we had a large earthquake today, which areas would most likely experience liquefaction?
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D: Making a Hazard Map
Creating an Earthquake Hazard Map for Charleston
1. Examine the geologic map of Charleston (on page 10). This map shows what rock and/or sediment layers
are found at the surface. Answer the following:
a. Where on the peninsula do you see Artificial Fill? ______________________________________
b. Where on the peninsula do you see Wando Formation? _________________________________
c. Where on the peninsula do you see Beach Deposits? __________________________________
2. Using the Charleston Topographic Map located on the last page (page 11), create an Earthquake
Hazard map of the Charleston peninsula. Using two colors, shade the areas of high risk and the areas
of lower risk (based on your assessment of the geologic map of Charleston.) Circle infrastructure that will
be important in the aftermath of an earthquake, such a fire stations, hospitals, and evacuation routes.
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Make sure to include a key on your map and a title.
AFTER you have made your hazard map, answer the following:
3. On what part of the peninsula is risk the highest? ____________________________________________
4. Why?
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5. What are the potential hazards in the area(s) you indictaed are at highest risk?
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6. On what part of the peninsula is risk the lowest? _____________________________________________
7. Why?
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Charleston, SC Topographic map. Use this map to generate your Earthquake Hazard Map.
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