As part of the work carried out by researchers from IRSN (Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire) and Gustave Eiffel University (SRO Laboratory) in collaboration with a consortium of European researchers (Germany, France, Croatia), Tuan Anh Luong, Cifre thesis engineer at Sol Solution, took part in geotechnical campaigns in the geographical area of the towns of Petrinja and Sisak (Croatia) in order to identify the remains of liquefaction that occurred during the devastating earthquake of 2020 or linked to older earthquakes (palaeo liquefaction).
During the earthquake that shook the town of Petrinja in December 2020, numerous ejections of liquefied sand rose to the surface along the Kupa, Sava and Glina rivers in Quaternary alluvial sediments (more than 2,100 occurrences of liquefaction recorded). In October 2022, field investigations were carried out in the epicentral zone to the north of Petrinja, using innovative geotechnical techniques (Panda 3® and Grizzly 3®), at various sites showing upwelling of sand or lateral spreading along the Kupa river. The aim was to assess soil characteristics (strength, relative density, wave velocity, etc.) in as much detail as possible and to specify the geometry of the various subsurface sedimentary layers.
The work carried out enabled IRSN researchers and the consortium as a whole to add to the knowledge already acquired about the phenomena that took place on site. Similarly, the capabilities of the Panda® and Grizzly® were put to the test, enabling them to characterise favourably, in detail and in large numbers, superficial soils of low consistency and in areas that are difficult to access.
Finally, the work carried out using the Panda® and Grizzly® was presented at the 9th Conference of the Croatian Geotechnical Society, with the participation and under the auspices of ISSMGE, SISAK 2023 under the title:
- “Use of the new dynamic cone penetrometer for the study of soil liquefaction along the Kupa river, Petrinja area (Croatia)”.
- “Preliminary results of geotechnical and geophysical investigations on sites with liquefaction occurrences in the greater Petrinja area after the 2020 earthquake”
