KEM-05 Cumulative effect of repetitive earthquakes on soil settlement

In the Groningen region questions have been raised related to the cumulative effect of earthquake sequences (i.e. repetitive seismic events) on sediment compaction or settlement. More specifically it was questioned if differential compaction of soil can be expected to cause damage to buildings and infrastructure. The objective of this research is to provide answers to these questions, based on the scientific literature.

Specific research questions are:
· What cumulative effects on near surface sediment settlement can be expected due to repetitive earthquake tremors?
· Can the effect of repetitive earthquakes tremors cause damage to buildings (in relation to the specific situation in the Netherlands)?
· If so, can the effect of repetitive earthquakes tremors be tested and quantified? Can the effects of repetitive earthquake tremors be disentangled form other comparable processes common in soft soils in the Netherlands?

FULL RESEARCH REQUEST

It was found that past research is very limited, and it can be concluded that the Groningen situation can be considered very peculiar. Nevertheless, the work allowed to gather a preliminary understanding of this issue and provides clear recommendations to deepen it further.

RESEARCH FINAL REPORT

All in all, based on the outcomes of this project, the investigated issues seem not an immediate priority for inclusion in the Groningen probabilistic seismic hazard and risk assessment model, which is a valuable result.

The project results have been positively reviewed by KEM scientific experts.

RESEARCH PROJECT EVALUATION

The results indicate the effect of induced earthquake is negligible or can only be very limited. See also here the answers to citizen questions related to this topic based on this KEM-05a and the KEM-14 project.

The project findings of KEM05a (and KEM-14) have been presented in January 2022 at the KEM-DeepNL colloquium. The presentation can be found here.