Jul 7, 2021
Photo: Oregon State University
Research by the Oregon State University College of Engineering will help the Port of Portland save as much as $35 million on work to ensure a Portland International Airport runway can survive an expected magnitude 8.0 to 9.0 Cascadia subduction zone earthquake.
Armin Stuedlein led the project, which involved three days of test detonations at the airport in 40- and 90-foot-deep blast casings. By studying the series of controlled blasts, researchers could determine how the sand and silt soils underlying the airport would respond to a “megathrust earthquake” and what ground improvements are needed to prevent liquefaction and keep the runway intact.