LIQUEFACTION HAZARD MAPPING FOR THE SALT LAKE VALLEY

Probabilistic and deterministic liquefaction, lateral spread and ground settlement potential maps have been developed for the Salt Lake Valley as part of a National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) mapping project funded by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). This presentation discusses the production and use of these maps. A substantial geotechnical and geological database was collected and analyzed for Salt Lake Valley using ArcGIS® routines. Annual probabilities of liquefaction and lateral spread exceedance probabilities were calculated for major geological units using probabilistic methods and strong motion estimates obtained from the national strong motion hazard maps. The liquefaction maps can be used for earthquake hazard reduction and risk assessment and quantify the liquefaction and lateral spread potential of major mapped units. In addition, the maps show that significant parts of the central and northern Salt Lake Valley have a relatively high liquefaction and lateral spread potential.