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Show AAG ° The SaltLake Tribune OPINION Sunday, May 2, 1999 Real‘Fault’ at Salt Palace Is Ignoring Scientific Consensus BY PETER SHAFFNER Many geologists, myself included, had the opportunity to visit the Salt Palace excavation and take a detailed look at the ex- posed andvery disrupted foun dation materials. Most of us have dozensof pictures of the remark- ie exposures, Months ago. everyone was aware that this was likely to be covered up” (literally) and dis. puted, since thepolitics of admit ting the obvious ramifications y cost billions of dollars. This was very predictable — “geopolitics” at its wors e fact that ad- mitting foundation concerns might save thousands of lives is easilylost You can be assured that many scientists across the UnitedStates have had the opportunity to view the exposures, and wefollow the cover-up stories with great inter. est. Many of us laughto see the argument twisted by politicians into a “fault or no fault” issue. which totally misses the significanceofthe disruptedsoils to the ngineering of building founda tions No scientists, engineers or con struction workers who viewed those exposures would disagree that a major earthquake caused liquefaction andsignificant dis. placement of sediments all the way up to the ground surface. Liquefied Lake Bonneville sedi ments blew through to the sur- face, causing geysersofliquefied sandandgravel of immense proportions over widespread areas. Thesoil is clearly sheared with major continuous displacements. much like any fault would Whether the sheared and displaced sedimentsconnectdirectly to the bedrock fault mayonly be of academic and political consequence. Tothoseof usin the f engineering profession, these ex- posures show beyond any doubt that ground-shaking from an earthquake has caused catastrophie rupture and displace- Salt Lake Cityneeds better laws that don’t focus solely on whether a fault displaces Quaternary sediments. It needs sound engineering guidelines for understanding and ineorporating all loading condi- foundations. It is easy to see why the Utah Geological Survey was kept at bay concerning their opinion, since the economic and political ramifi- tions that cause unacceptable risk to the public. The current efforts cations are enormous,andtheless and argumentsareclearly misfo- ging a bigger hole, at least they will have a place to pushall the high-rise buildings when theytop- ple predictably during the inev- itable large earthquake in the not- so-distant future. smart scientists that get involved, the better for the developers and cused on economics and the de- their political allies. tails of old, outdated laws con- cerning “active faults” in the Peter Shaffner is an engineering geologist who lives in Ever- If the Utahpoliticians keep dig- green, Colo. ee ment of sediments throughout the Salt Lake City area. It is logical to Pay, iy} Package Includes 2-Speed 80% Eff. Furnace assumethis could happen during any large earthquake today. It is notjust an issueof the magnitude of horizontal acceleration of Central Air . =Manwill= Plumbing & Heating L.C. Conditioning Power Humi Electronic Air Filter Programmal Thermostat fault displacements” it is an is- sue of foundations which fail in earthquakes While the Utah politicians and consultants on either side of the issue argue about whether this 385 E. 3900 s. 262-4671 Our Tradition of Quality Carries On! constitutes an “active fault.” sci entists aroundtheworldall agree that this is a geologic hazard whichshouldbeincorporatedinto the building code. It matters not whatyoucall it; it is simply a load ing condition whichclearly needs Omniserve Wireless just found two more ways to makeit easier for you to get connected. as] Se ec 435-647-3665 to be understoodand considered To not considerthe high proba bility of the liquefaction and Peary Pheerney red Get two phonesfor the price of one! ground-rupture potential of the Ae 3738 West 5400 South ESattrs sediments in this area of Salt Lake City would constitute extremenegligence on the part of anydesigner That's right! 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