DTD 5

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Engineering Geology xx (2005) xxx – xxx

1 www.elsevier.com/locate/enggeo

2 Soil liquefaction during the Arequipa Mw 8.4, June 23, 2001

3 earthquake, southern coastal Perú

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4 Franck A. Audemard M.a,T, Juan Carlos Gómezb,

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5 Hernando J. Taverab, Nuris Orihuela G.a
a

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6 FUNVISIS, Venezuelan Foundation for Seismological Research, Apdo. Postal 76.880, Caracas 1070-A, Venezuela
b
7 Instituto Geofı́sico del Perú, Centro Nacional de Datos Geofı́sicos, Lima, Perú
8 Received 26 June 2003; received in revised form 19 August 2004; accepted 24 December 2004

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9

10 Abstract
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11 The Arequipa June 23, 2001, earthquake with a moment magnitude of Mw 8.4 struck southern Perú, northern Chile and
12 western Bolivia. This shallow (29 km deep) interplate event, occurring in the coupled zone of the Nazca subduction next to the
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13 southeast of the subducting Nazca ridge, triggered very localized but widely outspread soil liquefaction. Although sand blows
14 and lateral spreading of river banks and road bridge abutments were observed 390 km away from the epicenter in the southeast
15 direction (nearing the town of Tacna, close to the Chile border), liquefaction features were only observed in major river valleys
16 and delta and coastal plains in the meizoseismal area. This was strongly controlled by the aridity along the coastal strip of
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17 Southern Perú. From the sand blow distribution along the coastal area, a first relationship of isolated sand blow diameter versus
18 epicentral distance for a single event is ever proposed. The most significant outcome from this liquefaction field reconnaissance
19 is that energy propagation during the main June 23, 2001, event is further supported by the distribution and size of the isolated
20 sand blows in the meizoseismal area. The sand blows are larger to the southeast of the epicenter than its northwestern
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21 equivalents. This can be stated in other words as well. The area affected by liquefaction to the northwest is less spread out than
22 to the southeast. Implications of these results in future paleo-liquefaction investigations for earthquake magnitude and epicentral
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23 determinations are extremely important. In cases of highly asymmetrical distribution of liquefaction features such as this one,
24 where rupture propagation tends to be mono-directional, it can be reliably determined an epicentral distance (between
25 earthquake and liquefaction evidence) and an earthquake magnitude only if the largest sand blow is found. Therefore,
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26 magnitude estimation using this uneven liquefaction occurrence will surely lead to underrating if only the shortest side of the
27 meizoseismal area is unluckily studied, which can eventually be the only part exhibiting liquefaction evidence, depending on
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28 the earthquake location and the distribution of liquefaction-prone environments.

29 D 2005 Published by Elsevier B.V.
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30 Keywords: Liquefaction; Sand blows; Asymmetric energy distribution; Arequipa 2001 earthquake; Perú
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31 T Corresponding author. Fax: +58 2 257 99 77.

E-mail addresses: faudemard@funvisis.org.ve (F.A. Audemard M.)8 jgomez@geo.igp.gob.pe (J.C. Gómez)8 jtavera@geo.igp.gob.pe
(H.J. Tavera)8 norihuela@funvisis.org.ve (N. Orihuela G.).

0013-7952/$ - see front matter D 2005 Published by Elsevier B.V.

doi:10.1016/j.enggeo.2004.12.007

ENGEO-02360; No of Pages 19
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2 F.A. Audemard M. et al. / Engineering Geology xx (2005) xxx–xxx

32 1. Introduction Perúvian coast at Atico, between Chala and Ocoña 76

(Fig. 1). After IGP, the epicenter coordinates are 77
33 Southern Perú was hit by a shallow Mw 8.4 16.208 latitude and 73.758 longitude (Tavera, 78
34 (NEIC) earthquake on June 23, 2001. An earthquake 2002b). Instead, NEIC reports the epicenter at 79
35 of such characteristics is a very likely candidate to 16.158 latitude and 73.408 longitude, while 80
36 have triggered induced effects. This paper discusses Harvard CMT solution (energy centroid) places the 81
37 the results from a field survey in search of these epicenter at 17.288 latitude and 72.718 longitude 82
38 effects that was initiated 12 days after the Arequipa (Fig. 1). The main shock took place at the coupled 83
39 earthquake, starting in Lima and heading southeast zone of the Nazca subduction under South America 84
40 along the coast between Pisco and Tacna (Perúvian (Tavera, 2002c), at a shallow depth of 29 km (Tavera, 85
41 border-town with Chile). The survey target was 2002b). This resulted in extensive damage along the 86

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42 defined based on a preliminary intensity map raised southern Perú (affecting the town of Ocoña, Camaná, 87

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43 by Instituto Geofı́sico del Perú (IGP) that clearly Mollendo, Arequipa, Moquegua and Tacna) and 88
44 placed the damage area southeast of Pisco. This northern Chile coasts and as far inland as La Paz – 89
45 survey was only launched then, only when the road Bolivia – (Tavera, 2002a,b). This inter-plate contact 90

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46 network was partly functioning, although the Pan- zone is the longest and one of the most active plate 91
47 American road running along the coast was inter- boundaries worldwide. The main event was followed 92

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48 rupted several times in occasion of almost all the in the next 2 weeks by three other rather large 93
49 larger aftershocks during fieldwork. No air reconnais- earthquakes on June 25 (Mw 6.8; NEIC), July 05 94
50 sance was carried out because choppers were attend- (Mw 6.6; NEIC) and July 07 (Mw 7.5; NEIC); all 95
51 ing first priority tasks related to the emergency. The located east to southeast of the main shock (Tavera, 96
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52 teamwork comprising personnel from IGP and FUN- 2002c). Within the first 24 h, a total of 134 MLz3.0 97
53 VISIS focused attention on all type of mass wasting aftershocks were recorded, being all located southeast 98
54 and particularly on liquefaction, to whose description of the June 23 main event (Tavera, 2002b). All these 99
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55 this paper is devoted. Special attention was paid to abovementioned seismological aspects clearly point 100
56 sand blows. No geotechnical investigations, such as out that the energy directivity and rupture propagation 101
57 SPT or CPT, could be carried out due to logistic history were SE-directed. In supplement to this, the 102
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58 limitations and unavailable funding. waveforms, their amplitudes and periods support this 103
59 In this paper, we have semi-quantitatively evaluated and allow estimating that the energy was released 104
60 the liquefaction distribution of isolated sand blows towards the southeast (778 1208S; Tavera, 2002a). 105
61 triggered by this earthquake, which has showed a very Furthermore, the main shock itself comprises three 106
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62 clear trend as we shall discuss herein, in comparison sub-events separated by 5–6 and 36–40 s to the 107
63 with the seismological data of this Arequipa 2001 southeast of the first one (Tavera, 2002a). The third 108
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64 event. Strong similarities in the rupture process are and last of these three sub-events composing the main 109
65 revealed by, or deduced from, both – geologic and shock lied right below the Camaná region (Tavera, 110
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66 seismologic – approaches. Finally, the outcome of this 2002a), which was the hub of the area affected by 111
67 evaluation is interpreted in terms of, and is extrapo- tsunami waves at least as high as 6 m (Carpio et al., 112
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68 lated to, its application to the past record of earth- 2002; Jaffe et al., 2003). It is very likely that the 113
69 quake-induced liquefaction and the assessment of past whole rupture process (mono-directionality, rupture 114
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70 earthquake magnitudes and epicenter locations from nucleation, rupture progression) on the coupled zone 115
71 liquefaction features. of the Nazca subduction is highly controlled by the 116
presence of the subducting Nazca ridge at the north- 117
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western tip of the Arequipa 2001 earthquake rupture. 118

72 2. The earthquake and its aftershocks The focal mechanism solution of the main earth- 119
quake images pure thrust slip along a NNW–SSE 120
73 The Arequipa earthquake struck the Southern Perú striking, 218 E-dipping fault plane (Tavera, 2002c; 121
74 coastal region with a moment magnitude (Mw) of 8.4 Fig. 1). This solution depicts well the rather shallow 122
75 at 20:33:13 on June 23, 2001. Its epicenter lied at the dip (16–208N) of the subduction slab on the south- 123
 Pisco RELATIVE LOCATION
-80 -60 -40

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10º
-14º
Ica
AYACUCHO VENEZUELA

APURIMAC COLOMBIA

r
Rive
ICA -0º ECUADOR

N
nde
Gra
BRAZIL

PERU -10

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Palpa
BOLIVIA

-20º
Nazca

CHILE
PACÍF
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r N
ive ÉA

IC OC
iR OC -30

F.A. Audemard M. et al. / Engineering Geology xx (2005) xxx–xxx

ar IC
Ac ARGENTINA T
ÁN

ÉAN
L
. AT

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aR
uc -40º
San Juan Ya

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0

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Lomas -50
1 -80º -60º -40º
Yauca Caravelí R iver
Colca

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1.50
AREQUIPA

Caraveli R.
Chala
-16º
NEIC

Ocoña R.
Aplao
IGP

.
sR
ua
Sih
Atico

.
Arequipa

aR
Ocoña

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ma
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Ca
2.00 2

06 / 23 / 2001 Camana Vitor Rive

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Mollendo ElFiscal oR
. MOQUEGUA
T Tam
b

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P 3
Mejia Cocachacr a
0.70 8 9 Moquegua
HARVARD 4 Corio
La Curva
LEGEND Mw 8.4
6

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re
1.40

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mo
MAIN EVENT EPICENTER

Os
10 r
5 7 ive
aR
MAIN AFTER SHOCK
1.00
Ilo 11
Lo
cu
mb
TACNA

r
ve
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SAND BLOW (diameter in m) 07 / 07 / 2001

ma
-18º

Sa
VENT FRACTURE

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12 Tacna
T
LATERAL SPREAD P 0.50 La Yarada

3 OBSERVATION STATION CHILE

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Arica
Mw 7.5

-76º -74º -72º -70º

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Fig. 1. Map of the southern coast of Perú, showing main rivers, surveyed road and main settlements. Relative location is shown in inset map. It also displays the focal mechanism
solutions from IGP for the main event and its main aftershock, as well as the different main earthquake epicenters reported by different agencies. Finally, it also shows the distribution
of all reported liquefaction evidence split by type (sand blow, sand dike or lateral spread).

3
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4 F.A. Audemard M. et al. / Engineering Geology xx (2005) xxx–xxx

124 eastern edge of the subducting Nazca ridge; coincid- Regardless of the causative process (hydraulic 169
125 ing with where flat subduction in the northwest fracturing or associated with lateral spreading), 170
126 changes to normal subduction in the southeast (Jordan utilized conduits (pre-existing or newly formed 171
127 et al., 1983; Mercier et al., 1992; Gutscher et al., cracks, root casts, burrows, rheologic boundaries or 172
128 2000). But the orientation of the fault planes in the any other pre-existing seal weakness) and liquefied 173
129 focal mechanism solution keeps an angle of some 308 feature geometries (aligned or isolated blows, sand 174
130 with respect to the trench orientation (Fig. 1), dikes), all sand-venting features were investigated, but 175
131 although they are almost perfectly normal to the special attention was paid to isolated sand blows 176
132 GPS-derived convergence vector for the Nazca plate though. This venting feature, when perfectly isolated 177
133 in this region (Kreemer et al., 2003). This excludes on the ground, should be the most reliable measure of 178
134 any strain partitioning along this portion of the plate the pressure exerted by hydraulic fracturing. This in 179

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135 boundary. turn must keep a tight relationship with the earthquake 180

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ground shaking through the cyclic loading of shear 181
waves when passing through well-saturated, near- 182
136 3. Investigation of liquefaction features in the surface, cohesionless, granular sediments. In other 183

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137 meizoseismal area words, it should be a better gauge of the earthquake 184
energy than all other sand-venting features reported in 185

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138 The Southern Perú coast is a very particular the literature in the occurrence of moderate-to-large 186
139 landscape worldwide. It is much like a lunar land- earthquakes. Instead, Obermeier (1996) and Oberme- 187
140 scape deprived of any vegetation cover due to ier and Pond (1999) have proposed the use of sand 188
141 extreme aridity. It also lacks of soils, but does have dike width as a tool for characterizing the triggering 189
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142 some wind-transported sands and volcanic ashes. paleo-earthquake in terms of magnitude and epicentral 190
143 This arid strip can eventually extend as far inland as location. We believe this approach can be of limited 191
144 a 100 km. Consequently, the search for liquefaction applicability since sand dike width can be strongly 192
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145 features was narrowed down to very few and conditioned by the occurrence of lateral spreading, 193
146 localized Holocene sedimentary environments prone which in turn is tightly linked to topographic 194
147 to liquefy during strong ground shaking, such as conditions, and not mainly to energy release. Charac- 195
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148 riverbeds and terraces, and alluvial, delta and coastal terization of past topographies over large rough relief 196
149 plains. In fact, very few rivers and streams cross this areas can be a very difficult task. It may be that this 197
150 arid zone and pour into the Pacific. The most approach is very reliable in areas such as the 198
151 important rivers in the study area from northwest Mississippi valley – where the approach has been 199
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152 to southeast are rare: Acari, Yauca, Ocoña, Camaná, developed – because most topographic irregularities 200
153 Sihuas, Tambo, Osmore, Locumba and Sama (Fig. (read free faces or talus) in such a case are introduced 201
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154 1). These rivers display running water, mostly fed by the depth of river incision, which in very flat areas 202
155 from far upstream into the Andes highlands. Most of must tend to be rather constant throughout. In that 203
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156 these river valleys exhibited both sand blows and respect, the use of isolated sand blows could have a 204
157 venting fractures, related or not to lateral spreading. more general applicability in characterizing past 205
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158 The two largest delta plains of the Tambo and earthquakes. We feel that sand blows – either in the 206
159 Camaná Rivers had the most widespread liquefaction geologic record or on ground surface in association 207
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160 distribution (Fig. 1). There is no report of liquefac- with contemporary earthquakes – can be as easily 208
161 tion in the Ocoña valley by us because the crossing characterized geometrically as sand dikes, by measur- 209
162 was made at night. It is worth to mention that the ing their base diameter and maximum thickness at the 210
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163 field survey was a natural transect along rupture blow mouth instead, although this analysis is only a 211
164 strike because main roads, coast and the subduction good semi-quantitative approximation, since both 212
165 trends are all parallel (Fig. 1). In this sense, the parameters are strongly dependent on several intrinsic 213
166 reported liquefaction distribution can bring additional factors of the liquefied material. We believe though 214
167 insights on the earthquake rupture process, as shown that the two most conditioning factors among many 215
168 in this case study. others are (1) the percent per volume of sand in the 216
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F.A. Audemard M. et al. / Engineering Geology xx (2005) xxx–xxx 5

217 mixture vented to the surface (or the amount of water rotten roots, crab burrows, cracks, among several 265
218 spouted out, which is proportional to the original others. In our study, two very strong limitations 266
219 water saturation of the liquefied sand layer) and (2) precluded any quantitative analysis, thus leading us 267
220 the vented sand grain size. These factors are inter- to propose this semi-quantitative approach or hypoth- 268
221 connected. For instance, the larger the grains the more esis instead. On one hand, in accessible areas such as 269
222 water is contained in the pores, for any specific the coastal strip of Perú, due to rather smooth relief 270
223 sorting. These two factors combined control the cone and fairly good road network, running water is only 271
224 slopes of isolated sand blows when resting on flat limited to the larger river courses, as mentioned 272
225 ground, as observed by Beltrán and De Santis (1990), earlier, and superficial water is definitely absent 273
226 and Audemard and De Santis (1991). If the ground elsewhere (water table can be typically be in excess 274
227 surface has some irregularities (e.g., ditches, grooves, of 200 m, as pointed out by Wartman et al., 2003), 275

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228 scours, furrows) or slope irrespective of how gentle it which substantially narrows down areas prone to 276

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229 is inclined, the sand blow circular base is then surface liquefaction, either triggered by earthquake, 277
230 distorted. In such case, depending on whatever artesian waters or any other process. This also reduces 278
231 controls the blow shape, either a measure of the the number of observational data (refer to Wartman et 279

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232 minimum diameter must be taken or the shortest and al., 2003, who reutilized most of the data presented 280
233 longest base dimensions must be averaged. Other herein). On the other hand, far inland and away from 281

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234 factors intrinsic to the sand spelled out may also exert the coastal strip, where water is abundant, liquefac- 282
235 some control on the blow shape such as grain sorting, tion-prone areas are smaller, narrower and bounded to 283
236 roundness and shape. However, very little grain-size narrow, sinuous river courses incised in a very steep, 284
237 analyses have been carried out on spouted sands after inaccessible relief, inside the rough relief of the high 285
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238 individual contemporary earthquakes. At most, some Andes (refer to Fig. 3-1 in Wartman et al., 2003). 286
239 pictures, and occasionally few measures, of sand Next, we shall describe all the documented 287
240 blows are typically reported in the literature. This is evidence of liquefaction observed from NW to SE, 288
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241 the case of the present study, but this should change in adding further details to the original descriptions from 289
242 future field reconnaissance surveys if any reliable Audemard et al. (2001, 2002) and Gomez et al. 290
243 quantitative analyses are intended. A very rare (2002). This information was essentially gathered 291
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244 exception to this is the survey made by Tuttle et al. along the South Pan-American road and other minor 292
245 (2002) after the Bhuj, January 26, 2001, earthquake coastal roads (for survey coverage refer to Fig. 1). 293
246 (Gujarat, India) that gives figures of both diameter and First, we shall deal with liquefaction features strictly 294
247 thickness of sand blows. For the Arequipa 2001 speaking, and later with occurrence of lateral spread- 295
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248 earthquake, we have also intuitively focused our ing, which is a combination of gravity-driven lateral 296
249 attention on the isolated sand blow diameters, as well translation of almost flat-lying geologic units induced 297
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250 as on the visual evaluation of grain size of the by liquefaction at shallow depth. Reported lateral 298
251 liquefied sands. spreading may have or may not have been accom- 299
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252 Additional factors, not only intrinsic to the panied by spouted sands to the surface. 300
253 liquefiable sands, must actually be taken into account
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254 to undertake any robust quantitative analysis – which

255 is not the aim of this rather rough first semi- 4. Superficial soil liquefaction evidence 301
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256 quantitative approximation – of the geometry of sand

257 blows as a reliable measure of released energy As foreseen prior to the field reconnaissance, 302
258 through earthquakes. Depth of water table, as well provided the main event intensity distribution and 303
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259 as depth of liquefaction-prone sand bodies, must be the extreme aridity of the affected area, the occurrence 304
260 well constrained, which requires specific geotechnical of liquefaction was only bounded to those few alluvial 305
261 studies and/or instrumentation (piezometer, SPT and valleys with permanent running water and active delta 306
262 CPT, among others). Particular attention must be also plains. This includes the valleys of the Yauca, Ocoña, 307
263 devoted to the sealing cap, as to thickness and pre- Camaná, Tambo, Osmore, Locumba and Sama Rivers, 308
264 existing likely weakness zones or features, such as from northwest to southeast (Fig. 1). Major relevant 309
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t1.1 Table 1
t1.2 Surface evidence of liquefaction along the coastal strip of southern Perú

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t1.3 Distribution and characterization of surface liquefaction features
t1.4 Locality Map label Feature description Depth to water table Other relevant comments

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(Fig. 1)
t1.5 Sedimentary environment Sand grain size Size of largest
and liquefaction features sand blow

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Yauca River 1 –Sand boils on small channel Very fine to fine 1.50 m in diameter, Visible and running First pile of Yauca bridge
bars, in side riverbed but typically 0.40 m only 50 cm below from the western abutment

F.A. Audemard M. et al. / Engineering Geology xx (2005) xxx–xxx

–Isolated sand blows with sand blow base sunk due to liquefaction in

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almost circular base on flat a few tens of centimeters,

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t1.7 ground sagging bridge deck and
t1.6

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–Frequently darker and finer south banister
material (mica rich) expelled,
probably when water pressure

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t1.8 dropped.
–Sand-venting dikes
t1.9 (b1 m long)
–Some sand blows lying on
open NE–SW trending ground

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cracks, paralleling the channel
t1.10 bar edges (lateral spread)
t1.11 Ocoña River Not visited
Camaná delta 2 –Widespread liquefaction in Very fine to 1.60–2.00 m in Features were only –Rock-armored flood-control
the riverbed and its active medium diameter, being some 50 to 60 cm earth embankment of its left

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alluvial and delta plains circular on flat above visible running riverbank was damaged at
t1.12 –Plentiful light colored ground water two places.
liquefied sands resting on –40-cm-across grayish
pebbly-to-cobbly channel sand blows were reported

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bars, probably supplied by a later party, resting
by well-oxidized sandy on the tsunami deposits
channel bars of the main event, attesting
–Occasionally, sand-volcano to a second liquefaction
cones aligned along open episode during a large

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cracks, individually not longer aftershock; probably the
than 4 m and displaying an en Mw 7.5 event on July
t1.13 echelon array 07th, 2001

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–In the coastal plain of the
Camaná delta, a 30-m-long
venting fracture, paralleling

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both plowing furrows and 5 m
away of the river protection
embankment, spouted grayish
sands in a cornfield, coming
from recent anoxic organic-
t1.14 rich delta deposits
t1.15 Between Mollendo 4 –Very scarce superficial Fine to medium Only 0.20–0.30 m Shallow, since barrier
and Mejı́a evidence of liquefaction, along major axis top isb+3–4 m msl
except for small isolated sand
volcanoes along cracks on

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top of the present-day sand
barrier, at bUrbanización

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ArizonaQ
Golden Playa Discoteca 5 –Both vent fractures and Very fine to fine. Boils could be up Spouted water left Gravel road entrance fell
(between Mejı́a and bapparentlyQ isolated sand Significant gravel to 0.70 m in whitish stains; probably into a few-meter-wide,

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El Conto) boils. fraction (Contamination diameter brackish. Water table at road-parallel ditch due to
t1.16 –Blows aligned on top of during upward shallow depth (b3–4 m) 3 small lateral spreads.
almost imperceptible fissures migration?) No sand venting along

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in gravel road carpet, but next most of the largest cracks
t1.17

F.A. Audemard M. et al. / Engineering Geology xx (2005) xxx–xxx

to wide open cracks
–Grayish-colored sands in macadam carpet
suggest a provenance from

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anoxic bodies. Also dark-

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colored spouting through
t1.18 small cracks

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–Capping of darker and finer
mica-rich fractions at the

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isolated sand cone mouths
(last deposition due to high
t1.19 floatability)
Soccer field at La Curva 7 –Sand venting along ground Fine to medium, Not reliable because Very shallow (b 2m deep) Significant amount of spouted
north entrance cracks, across a soccer field light-colored sands volcanoes were aligned water table as seen in water that almost crossed the
sitting on the Tambo river atop an open ground irrigation ditch nearby entire soccer field length,

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alluvial plain, due to lateral crack because of a very gentle
t1.20 spreading ground-surface inclination
–Most of water and sand
vented by a single fracture,

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whose cone was 2.5 m long
and about a 1 m wide, in
combination with a 8-m-long
t1.21 volcanoes alignment

Tambo riverbed at the 8 –Numerous rather small
El Fraile bridge (b 0.20 m across), mostly
isolated, sand blows on coarse
channel bars
–Grayish-colored vented
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Medium, with a 1.40 m across but very Largest sand blows were The 6-m-high and
significant fraction infrequent less than a few tens of two-lane-wide Tambo-bridge
of gravels at least cm above running water earth embankment exhibited
in the largest blows several-tens-m-long
longitudinal cracks. Also

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sands axial cracking in the west
t1.22 bridge abutment
Osmore delta (Ilo) 10 –Liquefaction in the Osmore Very fine to fine. 0.80 to 1.00 m across Base of blows only 0.50 m Also, 1.35-m-long,

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riverbed, near its delta mouth, Light brown colored. above running water en-echelon
t1.23 north of the town of Ilo. venting fractures
–Liquefied sands rested on

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pebbled-to-cobbled channel
t1.24 bars
(continued on next page)

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t1.25 Table 1 (continued)
t1.26 Distribution and characterization of surface liquefaction features

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t1.27 Locality Map label Feature description Depth to water table Other relevant comments
(Fig. 1)
t1.28 Sedimentary environment Sand grain size Size of largest

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and liquefaction features sand blow
t1.29 Ilo-La Yarada coast road 11 –Near the Locumba River, Very shallow water table

F.A. Audemard M. et al. / Engineering Geology xx (2005) xxx–xxx

longitudinal cracks in paddy–

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field earth dams, suggesting

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that liquefaction had also
happened at depth in this

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delta plain
–No evidence of sand
t1.30

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spouting
–Artificially saturated
t1.31 environment
Sama River 12 –Isolated and aligned sand Fine to medium 0.50 m in diameter Shallow water table under Two large craters at the
(Los Baños bridge) blows, vent fractures and Grain-size of topping features (b 0.50 m deep) retaining wall foot of the
lateral spreads of modest could vary from silt south bridge abutment,

t1.33 dimensions in the riverbed
–Sand blows, atop bars in the
riverbed, were numerous but
not as frequent as in others
t1.32
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to very coarse sand while the earth fill behind
it cracked open and settled.
Grain-size distribution clearly
attests to a progressively

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surveyed rivers dying-out water pressure
–Outward grain coarsening of
the volcano cones, at least as a
capping film, from silts and

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black micas at the cone mouth
to coarse to very coarse sands
t1.34 at the rim
–Open cracks paralleling
channel bar edges. Some of
these also trended obliquely

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but their orientation was
controlled by sand extrusion

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and differential settlement
produced by closely located
t1.35 volcanoes

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310 observations as to the liquefaction evidence at the However, the most densely spaced surface expres- 338
311 different localities are summarized in Table 1, sion of liquefaction has been reported at the delta 339
312 following that same order. plains of the both Camaná and Tambo rivers. For 340
313 In a general way in this study, we report surface instance, close to the river mouth of the Camaná 341
314 evidence of liquefaction from the Yauca riverbed (km River, in its delta plain, a 30-m-long venting fracture 342
315 598 of the South Pan-American road; station 1 in Fig. was seen (Fig. 3). The spouted sand was grayish in 343
316 1) to as far southeast as the Sama River, along the color, implying that the organic content was high, 344
317 coastal strip of southern Perú, near the Chilean significantly differing from the vented material 345
318 border. Instead, The Acari River, located only 15 observed in the riverbed which was very light 346
319 km to the northwest of the Yauca River (station 0 in colored. This also supports that the spouted sand 347
320 Fig. 1), did not exhibit any visible liquefaction belonged to the recent anoxic organic-rich delta 348

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321 feature, which sharply defines the northern extent deposits of this river. The inundation line of the 349

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322 of the area exhibiting surface evidence of liquefac- tsunami that affected the Camaná region, with run- 350
323 tion. Generally speaking, most of the reported ups of as much as 8.2 m high (Jaffe et al., 2003) and 351
324 features were lying either inside the few riverbeds surely above 6 m (Carpio et al., 2002), was very few 352

O
325 crossed in the study area, atop channel bars (Fig. 2) tens of meters away, which attests that this evidence 353
326 or in their alluvial or delta plains. As mentioned was just very luckily preserved. This line is over 500 354

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327 earlier, there is no surface evidence of occurrence of m inland from the coast. The parallel orientation of 355
328 liquefaction out of these particular sedimentary the venting fracture to that of the embankment 356
329 environments because the water table is usually too suggests that lateral spreading towards the riverbed 357
330 deep (over a 100 m). Bars in the riverbeds were (free face effect) of the river protection embankment, 358
D
331 typically few tens of centimeters above water level, together with the underlying left riverbank as a unit, 359
332 and most commonly in the order of 0.50 m, implying may have played a major role in its formation. 360
333 that sand feeders could lie very shallow and were The Tambo delta plain and the adjacent coastal 361
TE

334 well saturated. From the sedimentological viewpoint, stretch display the most outspread evidence of 362
335 the dominant grain-size of liquefied material ranged liquefaction of all. This is a straightforward conse- 363
336 between very fine to medium sand (refer to Table 1). quence of the size of the liquefaction-prone environ- 364
EC

337 Most sand blows exhibit good grain sorting. ment. The Tambo River delta is the largest of all in 365
R
R
O
C
N
U

Fig. 2. Aligned sand volcanoes on very coarse channel bars in the Camaná riverbed, close to its mouth (scale=1m). These bars lie only half a
meter above running water.
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10 F.A. Audemard M. et al. / Engineering Geology xx (2005) xxx–xxx

F
O
O
Fig. 3. A 30-m-long crack in a cornfield in the Camaná floodplains vented out grayish sands, probably fed by an anoxic sand body of the

PR
Camaná overbank sequence. This crack paralleled 5 m away the flood-control embankment, implying that the riverbank and embankment as a
whole underwent lateral spreading.

366 this southern portion of the Perú coast. It extends unequivocal evidence proving their concurrent occur- 391
D
367 between Mejı́a and Corio, for almost 25 km in length rence (Fig. 4). Sand blows or vented sand was sitting 392
368 along the seashore (see Fig. 1 for relative location). on ground fissures or cracks, regardless of their 393
369 However, Holocene active coastal plains (including opening width. Next, we shall describe the most 394
TE

370 sand barriers, mud flats and salt flats) extend as far relevant localities were this phenomenon was 395
371 northwest as south of Mollendo, for an additional strip reported. 396
372 length of 10 km; totaling a 35-km coastal stretch of
EC

373 Holocene and recent geologic environments of high 5.1. Camaná River flood-control earth embankment 397
374 susceptibility to liquefaction. Besides, the Tambo
375 River alluvial plain stretches inland for some 25 km, The left Camaná River embankment in its delta 398
376 between the villages of Punta de Bombón on the coast plain nearing its mouth suffered two strong sagging: 399
R

377 (near La Curva) and El Fiscal (see Fig. 1 for relative (1) where the river showed sandy channel bars in its 400
378 location); the latter being located along the South Pan- bed, both embankment shoulders were longitudinally 401
R

379 American road. cracked for several tens of meter in length; (2) in a 402
straight section of the river course, the embankment, 403
O

protected by rock blocks, moved sideward into the 404

380 5. Lateral spreading river as a rotational slide, inducing top sagging and a 405
C

semi-circular head scar. On the opposite side, a 1-m- 406

381 This phenomenon was the most widespread and long open crack vented sand and water at the foot of 407
N

382 common to the visited meizoseismal area of the June the embankment. Water was still ponded on July 06 408
383 23, 2001, earthquake. It both affected the natural as and had run off for over 15 m on a very gentle slope. 409
384 well as the constructed environment, but road These are supporting evidence that embankment 410
U

385 embankments close to irrigation ditches happened to failure resulted from lateral spreading in association 411
386 be the most affected feature. It also obeyed the same with shallow liquefaction. Thickness (height) of the 412
387 distribution pattern of superficial evidence of soil embankment forced water escape to dart such a huge 413
388 liquefaction. However, not all surveyed lateral spreads compacted seal. The light color of the vented sand 414
389 exhibited evidence of liquefaction on ground surface. suggests that it came from a well-ventilated sand bed. 415
390 It mostly was otherwise. But, few places exhibited the Therefore, the sand was provided from the riverbed 416
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F.A. Audemard M. et al. / Engineering Geology xx (2005) xxx–xxx 11

F
O
O
Fig. 4. Aligned sand volcanoes between the edge of a soccer field on the left and the toe of the La Curva–El Arenal road embankment to the

PR
right. Spouted water ran toward the viewer (station 7 on Fig. 1).

417 but from the floodplains, although the crack and the on mudflats located behind the abovementioned sand 424
418 spouted sand and water were resting on the overbank barrier, ground fissures paralleling shallow irrigation 425
419 deposits. ditches were also reported. These are unequivocal 426
D
evidence of lateral spreading induced by very shallow 427
420 5.2. Coast road between Mollendo and La Curva liquefaction in both conditions, although no venting 428
TE

was reported. In particular, the sand barrier cracking 429

421 Between Mollendo and Mejı́a, shore-parallel tens- (Fig. 5) should be attributed to sea-front relaxation, 430
422 of-meter-long fissures were observed atop of an about while it was induced by lack of lateral confinement by 431
EC

423 400-m-wide sand barrier near Mollendo. In crop fields ditches in the cultivated land. In fact, the supporting 432
R
R
O
C
N
U

Fig. 5. Axial crack along the sand barrier, close to Mollendo (station 3 in Fig. 1), due to sea-front relaxation. No surface evidence of liquefaction
was found here.
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12 F.A. Audemard M. et al. / Engineering Geology xx (2005) xxx–xxx

433 evidence to this was found closer to Mejı́a, at (Fig. 6). Local farmers from Boquerón accounted to 465
434 bUrbanización Arizona,Q where small isolated sand vertical ejection of a mixture of water and sand in 466
435 volcanoes were sitting on cracks opened in the sand their crop fields during the main earthquake. 467
436 barrier deposits. Lateral spreading was very well imaged at the 468
437 The road embankment sitting on the coastal-delta water pump station located at the entrance of the 469
438 plains of the Tambo River actually happened to be the Golden Playa Discoteca dirt road, near the Wild Bird 470
439 most damage feature of all by lateral spreading along Reservation of Mejı́a (station 5 in Fig. 1). Three small 471
440 this road stretch. The embankment, built on the coalescent lateral spreads coevally took place at this 472
441 mudflats, was about a 1.5 m high. Dozens of places bTQ road intersection (Fig. 7). The dirt road bridged 473
442 exhibited longitudinal cracks along the embankment over a ground-dug few-meter-wide ditch. During the 474
443 shoulders. Some of these cracks could be of the order earthquake, two opposing smaller lateral spreads 475

F
444 of 100 m in length. Few of these cracks could actually moved sideward into the wide water-full ditch, which 476

O
445 cut the asphalt carpet, which had very little vertical in turn triggered a third one that moved away from the 477
446 displacement. This would imply that the asphalt main asphalt road. Fig. 7 illustrates this in detail. 478
447 (acting as a highly cohesion seal) could not be torn

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448 apart. When road embankment lateral spreading was 5.3. Road along the Tambo River 479
449 more severe, one road lane (half way) could exhibit

PR
450 asphalt carpet cracking. However, road embankment Between the villages of La Curva and El Arenal, 480
451 suffered most extensively where road ran parallel to three different road embankment sections underwent 481
452 irrigation ditches directly dug in the ground (sector El sliding normal to the road, in association with lateral 482
453 Boquerón). Lateral spreading was here induced by the spreading. All three failures occurred where the road 483
D
454 void effect of the near ditch, in combination with the ran parallel to a shallow irrigation ditch. In all three 484
455 liquefaction of shallow saturated cohesionless sands cases, over half of the asphalt carpet was affected. 485
456 of the Tambo plain. We could only report once that the Nevertheless the most prominent case occurred at the 486
TE

457 embankment collapsed along a 100-m-long narrow northern entrance of La Curva (station 7 in Fig. 1). It 487
458 graben-like feature at the El Boquerón, between El was also the largest of all single lateral spreads 488
459 Conto and La Curva (station 6 in Fig. 1). Here, the reported during this survey. It was as big as a 489
EC

460 road embankment was longitudinally trapped between traditional soccer field, measuring some 60 m wide 490
461 a concrete channel and a ground-dug ditch along both and 100 m long. It actually affected a soccer field 491
462 sides (Fig. 6). The embankment spread laterally due to almost entirely and the 2-lane-road embankment 492
463 shallow liquefaction, thus compressing the ditch and running along its southeast side. Both the embank- 493
R

464 stretching the opposite shoulder of the embankment ment and the soccer field sagged few tens of 494
R

ELECTRICITY
ELECTRICITY POLE
O

POLE
2-STORY
HOUSE
C

ROAD
CARPET
CROP FIELD
N

EMBANKMENT
U

CONCRETE
DITCH CHANNEL
SW NE
Fig. 6. Schematic profile depicting the lateral spreading of the road embankment at Boquerón (between El Conto and La Curva; station 6 in Fig.
1). The embankment shoulder exhibited a longitudinal graben-like depression.
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F.A. Audemard M. et al. / Engineering Geology xx (2005) xxx–xxx 13

WATER-

DIRT ROAD
PUMP
STATION

N
MARSH

IRRIGATION DITCH
WATER WATER

F
O
ROAD EMBANKMENT
SAND VOLCANOES

O
LA CURVA COAST ROAD EL CONTO
CARPET

PR
Fig. 7. Schematic plan view of the three coalescent lateral spreads that affected the bTQ road intersection of the entrance to the Golden Playa
Discoteca (station 5 in Fig. 1).

495 centimeters, shared among several sub-parallel arcu- whose cone was 2.5 m long and close to a 1 m wide, 505
496 ate cracks (Figs. 4 and 8). Sagging was produced by in combination with a set of aligned volcanoes 506
D
497 differential settlement after water and fine sands stretching over some 8 m (Fig. 4). These features 507
498 were spouted to the surface through a venting were bordering the soccer field just at the foot of the 508
TE

499 fracture and a set of aligned volcano mouths, along road embankment, where the latter sank (Fig. 4). 509
500 the edge of the embankment toe, between the soccer This large mass motion on a liquefied layer was set 510
501 field and road embankment (Fig. 4). Amount of by a small irrigation ditch running along the road 511
502 water was that much that ran off for over half the embankment, on the opposite side to the soccer field. 512
EC

503 length of the soccer field. The mixture of water and However, the most severe damage to road embank- 513
504 sand was essentially vented by a single fracture, ments occurred where a shallow irrigation ditch ran 514
R
R
O
C
N
U

Fig. 8. Arcuate cracks across the soccer field of La Curva (station 7 in Fig. 1). It can be clearly distinguished the spouted light-colored sands
from the darker ground. In left lower corner, sands from the aligned sand blows shown in Fig. 12 are also visible.
 ARTICLE IN PRESS

14 F.A. Audemard M. et al. / Engineering Geology xx (2005) xxx–xxx

515 next to the road, such as between La Curva and El with respect to others have been previously dis- 545
516 Arenal, between Cocachacra and El Fiscal. Embank- cussed in Section 3. However, some complications in 546
517 ment locally cracked and spread laterally due to the this correlation have arisen because of two different 547
518 free face effect introduced by the shallow irrigation types of uncertainties: one relates to which is the most 548
519 ditch running parallel at the toe of the embankment appropriate epicenter location for the calculation of 549
520 (similar to image in Fig. 6). the epicentral distance; and the other to the reliability 550
that all reported liquefaction features actually were 551
521 5.4. The Pan-American road along the Osmore valley triggered by the main event. The second concern is 552
due to the fact that the Mollendo–Tacna survey was 553
522 Far inland, the road embankment of the South Pan- carried out in the same day after the largest (Mw 7.5) 554
523 American road when crossing the Osmore River plain, baftershockQ that occurred before dawn (4:38 am local 555

F
524 near Montalvo (south of Moquegua), was longitudi- time) on July 07, 2001. 556

O
525 nally cracked by outward-directed lateral spreading Regarding the first aspect, every agency, either 557
526 over tens of meters in length, implying that ground national or international, obtains different epicentral 558
527 liquefaction occurred beneath the embankment. solutions for a given earthquake. These differences 559

O
result from the used seismic datasets and the type of 560
epicenter determination. Since availability of these 561

PR
528 6. Discussion solutions is very variable, we decided to test the 562
sensibility of this variable (epicentral determination) 563
529 From this field survey observations, the distribu- in the calculations of epicentral distance (between 564
530 tion and size of superficial liquefaction evidence chosen epicenter and reported liquefaction evidence) 565
D
531 show their maximum values at Camaná, progres- for three of the published epicenters (Table 2). We 566
532 sively diminishing outward both in frequency and in selected the IGP, NEIC and Harvard solutions. The 567
533 amount of spouted sand and water, both to the USGS epicenter was discarded because it is located 568
TE

534 northwest and the southeast (Fig. 1). Although no between the two extreme solutions from IGP and 569
535 field reconnaissance could be performed upstream NEIC, and not substantially varying from those. 570
536 along rivers due to logistic limitations, this survey is However, assuming that all reported isolated sand 571
EC

537 a perfectly oriented profile along strike of the blows were produced by the main event on June 23, 572
538 causative fault (Nazca subducting slab under the 2001, relationships between sand blow diameter and 573
539 South America plate that runs parallel to both the epicentral distance are not qualitatively affected, with 574
540 coast and surveyed Pan-American road) of the main respect to either the IGP or NEIC epicenter, but are 575
R

541 earthquake and the aftershock sequence trend. This from the quantitative viewpoint. Regardless of being 576
542 allows cross-plotting the size of the largest spotted, the epicentral solution provided either by a national 577
R

543 isolated sand blows with epicentral distance. Argu- (IGP) or an international (NEIC or USGS) agency, the 578
544 ments on the selection of this liquefaction feature liquefaction evidence spatial distribution for this 579
O
C

t2.1 Table 2
t2.2 Epicentral distance of largest reported sand blows at a certain locality, for different main earthquake epicenters
N

t2.3 Locality Epicentral distance (km) Sand blow diameter (m)

t2.4 IGP epicenter NEIC epicenter HARVARD CMT epicenter
U

t2.5 Acari River 110 140 355 0.00

t2.6 Yauca River 95 125 255 1.50
t2.7 Camaná delta 120 90 70 2.00
t2.8 Punta Bombón 235 205 100 1.40
t2.9 Osmore River (Ilo) 300 270 155 1.00
t2.10 Sama delta 390 360 255 0.50
t2.11 The minus ( ) sign indicates that the evidence is located to the northwest of the respective epicenter.
 ARTICLE IN PRESS

F.A. Audemard M. et al. / Engineering Geology xx (2005) xxx–xxx 15

580 particular earthquake is definitely asymmetric in and national agency) or Harvard (maximum energy 628
581 qualitative terms, being the extent of the occurrence release and international agency) epicenter? Are the 629
582 of liquefaction always larger to the southeast. It can farthest evidence to the southeast produced by the first 630
583 also be stated that, for a given radius from the selected sub-event, the third sub-event or the addition of the 631
584 epicenter, the farther the evidence is, the more three sub-events? As to this, Atkinson et al. (1984) 632
585 pronounced the asymmetry becomes. But when state that seismic shaking duration plays a more 633
586 comparing these epicentral solutions with the Harvard prevailing role than just the total energy release. In 634
587 epicenter, the latter one is well off the other solutions that sense, we then picked up the IGP solution for this 635
588 (Fig. 1) and this is one of the most accessible investigation, although is not the most accessible one 636
589 earthquake catalogue worldwide. This is a significant when a worldwide evaluation is intended. However, 637
590 limitation if this kind of correlation is to be applied we can confidently say that the liquefaction distribu- 638

F
591 and extrapolated to a worldwide dataset, as Castilla tion is necessarily influenced by the main-event 639

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592 and Audemard (under review) have intended. The rupture progression towards the southeast (multi event 640
593 national seismic catalogues are not typically at hand, rupture history), since energy release and shaking 641
594 except for residents perhaps. Worldwide earthquake duration is progressively added in that direction. 642

O
595 data are essentially provided by international agencies With respect to the second issue, there is neither 643
596 such as: NEIC, USGS and Harvard. clear evidence nor suspecting hints of occurrence of 644

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597 Explanation for such a discrepancy between the several liquefaction episodes triggered by both the 645
598 Harvard and other solutions is given by the rupture main event and any of the largest aftershocks between 646
599 history of the main event. Based on how the Mollendo and Tacna, although that region was visited 647
600 Harvard epicentral solution is calculated, it is known in the hours following the largest (Mw 7.5) aftershock 648
D
601 that it indicates where the largest energy has been of July 07, 2001, whose epicenter was less than 50 km 649
602 released during the earthquake. Conversely, the IGP southeast of Mollendo and close to the visited coast 650
603 epicenter, determined from a national array, should strip (see Fig. 1 for relative location). However, 651
TE

604 provide the earthquake rupture nucleation. As another scientific party during a later reconnaissance 652
605 mentioned in Section 3, the isolated sand blow size photographed liquefaction features at Camaná, resting 653
606 was the chosen parameter because it should be a better on the tsunami deposits of the main event, which 654
EC

607 measure of the earthquake energy and duration, could only be related to a large aftershock. If these are 655
608 regardless of all other parameters (intrinsic and/or actually liquefaction features triggered by the largest 656
609 extrinsic to the liquefiable sand) that must be taking aftershock, they are 160 km northwest of the after- 657
610 into account, should the scope of the study be a shock epicenter, but no younger features cutting older 658
R

611 reliable quantitative analysis. In single-rupture events, ones was actually observed between Mollendo and La 659
612 we believe that the Harvard and other agency Yarada (near Tacna), where should widespread lique- 660
R

613 epicentral solutions should be much alike. But in the faction have occurred due to closeness to the after- 661
614 particular case of the June 23, 2001, earthquake, shock epicenter (refer to Fig. 1 for relative location of 662
O

615 which comprises three different sub-events, the epicenter with respect to this coastal strip). 663
616 Harvard solution pinpoints the location of the third Consequently, for plotting the diameter of the 664
C

617 and largest sub-event in terms of energy release, largest isolated sand blow of all spotted at each 665
618 which was the largest of the three sub-events after locality versus epicentral distance (Fig. 9), we have 666
N

619 Tavera (2002a). Tavera (2002a) indicates that this assumed that all the reported features were solely 667
620 third sub-event is lagging almost 40 s behind the first triggered by the main event on June 23, 2001 (no 668
621 one that should represent the rupture nucleation area. evidence supporting otherwise), and that shaking 669
U

622 The Harvard epicenter is 160 km southeast of the duration is the sum of the three individual sub-event 670
623 nucleation (given by IGP epicenter). Then, this raises durations composing the main event that nucleated at 671
624 other doubts: is the liquefaction evidence distribution and propagated southeastward from the IGP epicenter 672
625 biased by the rupture process? What epicenter has to determined from the Peruvian seismologic network 673
626 be chosen to estimate the farthest liquefaction data. The number of plotted datapoints of largest sand 674
627 evidence reported to the southeast: IGP (nucleation blows is very few, only six, as a straightforward 675
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16 F.A. Audemard M. et al. / Engineering Geology xx (2005) xxx–xxx

SAND-BLOW DIAMETER
(cm)

250

150

50

F
O
-100 -50 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450
NW IGP NEIC SE
EPICENTERS

O
EPICENTRAL DISTANCE (km)

PR
Fig. 9. Cross-plot of diameter (in centimeters) of largest reported isolated sand blows and epicentral distance (in kilometers) to the locality where
spotted. The graph shows the distance calculated to the liquefaction evidence from both the IGP and NEIC epicenters.

676 consequence of the very low likelihood of liquefac- that all these sand blows have been fed from a similar 704
677 tion potential of the coastal region due to aridity and/ range of depth, since no geotechnical investigations 705
D
678 or deeply seated groundwater table. However, this were carried out at the sites exhibiting superficial 706
679 plot shows that isolated sand blow distribution is liquefaction features. 707
TE

680 definitely highly asymmetrical. Liquefaction is In addition, this distribution supports that energy 708
681 observed much farther to the southeast than to the propagation and rupture progression were southeast 709
682 northwest (Fig. 9). Fig. 9 does not report all other directed, as determined from other different evidence 710
EC

683 isolated sand blows measured during this investiga- (shape of meizoseismal area based on intensity data, 711
684 tion, because they clearly lie under the drawn line. rupture history derived from seismograms, distribu- 712
685 This gun-shot-type distribution below the line does tion of tsunami waves, aftershock distribution, 713
686 not further support the cross-plot. So, we can among others), although epicentral distance to the 714
R

687 confidently state that the along-subduction-strike farthest liquefaction evidence to the southeast could 715
688 distribution seems not biased significantly by other be biased by the rupture history, meaning that it 716
R

689 parameters proper to the liquefiable sand bodies or might be actually only 250 km away from the 717
690 their environment of occurrence, from a semi-quanti- causative earthquake (third sub-event with high 718
O

691 tative viewpoint. In fact, stream channels in their energetic contribution) instead of 390 km from the 719
692 downstream section throughout the coastal region are rupture nucleation. Nevertheless, we are convinced 720
C

693 very similar, as to the liquefaction-prone environ- that the very long duration of this large (Mw 8.4) 721
694 ment. In addition, measured sand blows occur atop earthquake resulting from the addition of the three 722
N

695 channel bars in all cases, which lie less than a meter sub-events, combined with a strong SE directivity 723
696 above running water, implying that water table was (linked to the rupture history) and a depth of about 724
697 actually very shallow when liquefaction took place 30 km, is responsible for such a long epicentral 725
U

698 (refer to Table 1). In the same way, all sand blow distance to the farthest liquefaction evidence reported 726
699 cones used in this relationship are made of medium to to the southeast. Eventually, this distance should be 727
700 fine grain, light-colored, rather well-sorted sands, even over 390 km, since sand blows were still 50 cm 728
701 which would suggest that they were fed, environ- across at the Sama River crossing. Instead, they were 729
702 mentally speaking, from similar sand sources (refer to not found at a distance of 110 km to the northwest 730
703 Table 1). Nonetheless, we cannot confidently state (station 0 in Fig. 1). 731
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F.A. Audemard M. et al. / Engineering Geology xx (2005) xxx–xxx 17

732 The implications of this finding for paleoseismic lead to a better application to the past liquefaction 780
733 assessments relying on paleo-liquefaction features record. 781
734 preserved in the recent geologic record, as to earth-
735 quake magnitude and epicentral determinations, are of
736 highest significance. For past earthquakes exhibiting 7. Conclusions 782
737 highly mono-directional rupture propagation, for
738 which there is no simple way of revealing this aspect Although the Arequipa Mw 8.4 June 23, 2001, 783
739 from geologic data, an epicentral distance and earth- earthquake triggered widespread liquefaction along 784
740 quake magnitude can be reliably estimated only if the the southern coastal strip of Perú, extending even- 785
741 largest sand blow is found. This is no easy task tually over 400 km from the epicenter, sand-venting 786
742 because recognition of the spatial distribution of these features and lateral spread were only reported in the 787

F
743 paleo-liquefaction features is only possible in out- major river plains and their deltas, only where there 788

O
744 crops, which are never as frequent and thorough as in was running water. This fact was conditioned by the 789
745 plan view. Liquefaction associated to the New Madrid extreme aridity of the region and localized extension 790
746 1811–12 sequence is a perfect example of this. Spatial of the liquefaction-prone environments. Lateral 791

O
747 distribution of the larger sand blows induced by that spread resulted to be the most frequent evidence of 792
748 earthquake sequence is still recognizable from aerial liquefaction induced by the main event, irrespective 793

PR
749 photos over a century later (Obermeier et al., 1993; of any association with sand spouting or not. If any 794
750 McCalpin, 1996; Obermeier, 1996; Obermeier and other event than the main earthquake on June 23, 795
751 Pond, 1999), which eases their search in outcrops. 2001, such as the 7.5 baftershockQ on July 07, 2001, 796
752 However, shape of areas affected by older liquefaction triggered liquefaction, this survey party did not find 797
D
753 events in the same region are not so well constrained unequivocal and undisputable evidence of more than 798
754 from paleoseismic investigations (e.g., Munson et al., one liquefaction event, although part of the survey 799
755 1997; Obermeier, 1998; Tuttle et al., 1996; Guccione was carried out in the same day after that largest 800
TE

756 et al., 2002; Cox et al., 2004). Therefore, those aftershock. On the contrary, from the sedimentary 801
757 earthquake magnitudes can be hardly estimated with viewpoint, it could be possible to detect that different 802
758 certain reliability, solely based on size of affected feeder beds liquefy during the main event. From the 803
EC

759 area. Consequently, this very frequently implies that organic content, sand beds from both the overbank 804
760 pre-historical earthquake magnitudes derived from sequence and the channel bars spouted sand and 805
761 this type of studies have to be conceived as lower water to the surface. Most liquefied sands were very 806
762 bounds, unless the largest fossil sand blow is hit; fine to medium grain size but few volcanoes also 807
R

763 unless the size and shape of another liquefaction contained some gravel. In some cases, some outward 808
764 feature can come in help to constrain it better, such as coarsening could be evidenced in the cone con- 809
R

765 width and/or frequency of sand dikes as proposed by struction, at least during the final stage of water– 810
766 Obermeier (1996), Munson et al. (1997) and Ober- sand mixture ejection. 811
O

767 meier and Pond (1999). The ideal orientation of the surveyed transect 812
768 Finally, if this type of magnitude assessment – paralleling the southern Perú coast allowed to 813
C

769 relying on fossil sand blow shape – is to be further determine from the largest reported sand blow 814
770 developed, a more quantitative analysis needs to be diameter that this earthquake had a strong energy 815
N

771 performed on future liquefaction occurrence. In that directivity and an asymmetric rupture history directed 816
772 sense, near-future post-earthquake field surveys will to the southeast, thus supporting the same finding 817
773 necessarily have to study liquefaction features in a from several other very different approaches. The 818
U

774 deeper insight. This shall imply that the practice of implications of this finding are of outmost importance 819
775 geotechnical surveys will have to become a must, as for paleoseismic assessments relying on past lique- 820
776 well as sampling for grain-size distribution of faction events preserved in the geologic record of a 821
777 liquefied sands. The measuring of sand blow shape given region. Due to the limited exposure of past sand 822
778 also needs to become a common practice. This new volcanoes, the derived magnitude of pre-historic 823
779 understanding through data gathering will surely earthquake must be actually considered as a lower 824
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18 F.A. Audemard M. et al. / Engineering Geology xx (2005) xxx–xxx

825 bound, unless the largest of all sand blows is reliably Cox, R.T., Larsen, D., Forman, S., Woods, J., Morat, J., Galluzzi, J., 872
826 discovered. 2004. Preliminary assessment of sand blows in the Southern 873
Mississippi embayment. Bulletin of the Seismological Society 874
of America 94 (6), 1 – 18. 875
Gomez, J.C., Audemard, F.A., Quijano, J., 2002. Efectos geológicos 876
827 Acknowledgements asociados al sismo del 23 de Junio del 2001 en el sur del Perú. 877
In: Tavera, H. (Ed.), El terremoto de la región sur del Perú del 878
23 de Junio del 2001. Instituto Geofı́sico del Perú, pp. 159 – 174 879
828 This technical collaboration was only possible
(in CD). 880
829 through the cooperation between the governments of Guccione, M., Mueller, K., Champion, J., Sheperd, S., Carlson, 881
830 Perú and Venezuela, to whom we are grateful. We also S.D., Odhiambo, B., Tate, A., 2002. Stream response to repeated 882
831 want to thank our own institutions: the Instituto coseismic folding, Tiptonville dome, New Madrid seismic zone. 883
832 Geofı́sico del Perú – IGP – and Fundación Venezolana Geomorphology 43, 313 – 349. 884

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833 de Investigaciones Sismológicas—FUNVISIS. Our Gutscher, M.-A., Spakman, W., Bijwaard, H., Engdahl, E.R., 885
2000. Geodynamics of flat subduction: seismicity and tomo- 886

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834 thanks also go to all locals who accounted their lived graphic constraints from the Andean margin. Tectonics 19 (5), 887
835 experience, eye-witnessed liquefaction or provided 814 – 833. 888
836 useful information to the purpose of this contribution.

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Jaffe, B., Gelfenbaum, G., Peters, R. 2003. Preliminary analysis of 889
837 Drafting is Marina Peña’s contribution. Finally, a sedimentary deposits from the June 23, 2001 Peru tsunami 890
838 former version of this contribution was largely (http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/peru2). 891

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Jordan, T., Isacks, B., Allmendinger, R., Brewer, J., Ramos, V., 892
839 improved by the comments and suggestions from Ando, C., 1983. Andean tectonics related to geometry of 893
840 Dr. Ellis Krinitzsky – ENGEO Editor in chief – and subducted Nazca plate. Geological Society of America Bulletin 894
841 Dr. Christian Hibsch, who are much thanked. 94 (3), 341 – 361. 895
Kreemer, C., Holt, W., Haines, J., 2003. An integrated global model 896
of present-day plate motions and plate boundary deformation. 897
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