LIQUEFACT · Project

Protecting Buildings and Infrastructure from Earthquake Soil Collapse Across Europe

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Imagine an earthquake hits and the ground under your building suddenly turns to quicksand — that's liquefaction. It caused roughly half the economic damage in recent European earthquakes. LIQUEFACT figured out how to assess which sites are at risk before you build, and developed retrofitting techniques to protect existing structures. Think of it as a diagnostic-plus-treatment kit for unstable ground in earthquake zones.

By the numbers

19,000

earthquake fatalities in Europe over the past decade

€29 billion

direct economic losses from earthquakes in Europe

~50%

share of economic loss directly caused by liquefaction

consortium partners

countries represented

total project deliverables

The business problem

What needed solving

Earthquakes have caused almost 19,000 deaths and €29 billion in losses across Europe in the past decade, with roughly half the economic damage coming from liquefaction — where soil loses its strength and buildings sink or collapse. Construction companies, infrastructure operators, and insurers currently lack standardized, practical tools to assess and mitigate this specific risk before disaster strikes.

The solution

What was built

The project produced 36 deliverables including demonstrated retrofitting techniques for protecting structures against liquefaction, validated through small-scale models. The work covers both pre-construction site assessment methods and post-construction retrofitting approaches for existing buildings and infrastructure.

Audience

Who needs this

Construction firms building in seismic zones across Southern EuropeGeotechnical engineering consultancies advising on foundation designInsurance companies underwriting earthquake risk for property portfoliosMunicipal governments and civil protection agencies in earthquake-prone regionsInfrastructure operators managing bridges, pipelines, and utilities in seismic areas

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Construction & Real Estate Development

mid-size

Target: Construction firms and property developers building in seismic zones

If you are a construction company planning projects in earthquake-prone regions of Southern or Southeastern Europe — this project developed site assessment methods and mitigation techniques that let you evaluate liquefaction risk before breaking ground. With earthquakes causing approx. €29 billion in losses over a decade, half of which from liquefaction alone, having pre-construction risk data can prevent catastrophic structural failures and protect your investment.

Insurance & Risk Assessment

enterprise

Target: Insurance companies and catastrophe risk modelers covering seismic zones

If you are an insurer underwriting properties in earthquake-prone areas — this project produced validated assessment tools for liquefaction susceptibility across European locations. With almost 19,000 earthquake fatalities in Europe over the past decade and billions in structural damage, better risk models based on LIQUEFACT data could sharpen your premium pricing and reduce unexpected claim payouts.

Civil Engineering & Infrastructure

any

Target: Geotechnical engineering firms and infrastructure operators

If you are a geotechnical consultancy or infrastructure operator responsible for bridges, pipelines, or utilities in seismic areas — this project demonstrated and validated retrofitting techniques that strengthen existing structures against soil liquefaction. The 36 deliverables include reports on both small-scale model validation and full demonstration of these retrofitting methods, giving you tested approaches ready for client projects.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement these liquefaction assessment and mitigation techniques?

The project data does not include specific pricing for commercial deployment. Costs would depend on site size, soil conditions, and whether you need pre-construction assessment or retrofitting of existing structures. Contact the research team through SciTransfer for a scoping discussion.

Can these techniques work at industrial scale for large infrastructure projects?

The project validated retrofitting techniques through both small-scale models and full demonstrations, as documented in their deliverables. The consortium of 14 partners across 6 countries tested approaches across varying European geological conditions. Based on available project data, the methods were designed for real-world application to structures and urban infrastructure.

What is the IP situation — can my company license these techniques?

LIQUEFACT was funded as a Research and Innovation Action, meaning results are typically available for licensing or collaboration. The consortium includes 4 industry partners and 2 SMEs who may already hold exploitation rights. Contact through SciTransfer to clarify IP terms with the coordinator at Anglia Ruskin University.

Which European regions does this apply to?

The consortium spans 6 countries (Italy, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Turkey, UK), representing diverse seismic profiles. The objective explicitly targets liquefaction risk across Europe, making the tools applicable to any seismically active region. Southern and Southeastern Europe face the highest liquefaction risk.

How proven are the retrofitting techniques?

The project produced dedicated deliverables on both demonstration of retrofitting techniques and validation through small-scale models. This means the techniques moved beyond theory into physical testing and demonstration. The project ran for 3.5 years (2016-2019) with 36 total deliverables documenting the work.

Can these tools integrate with existing geotechnical assessment workflows?

Based on available project data, LIQUEFACT developed a systematic approach for site assessment prior to construction, designed to fit into standard construction planning. With 9 university partners providing the science and 4 industry partners ensuring practical applicability, the tools were built with real engineering workflows in mind.

Consortium

Who built it

The LIQUEFACT consortium brings together 14 partners from 6 countries (Italy, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Turkey, UK), led by Anglia Ruskin University. The mix of 9 universities, 4 industry partners, and 1 research organization gives it strong scientific depth with a 29% industry ratio ensuring practical grounding. The 2 SMEs in the consortium suggest some commercial interest, though the academic-heavy composition means business adoption will likely need additional industry partnerships to scale. The geographic spread across seismically active Southern European countries (Italy, Portugal, Turkey, Slovenia) means the techniques were developed with real-world conditions in mind.

ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITYCoordinator · UK
CENTRO EUROPEO DI FORMAZIONE E RICERCA IN INGEGNERIA SISMICAthirdparty · IT
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI CASSINO E DEL LAZIO MERIDIONALEparticipant · IT
TREVI SOCIETA PER AZIONIparticipant · IT
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI NAPOLI FEDERICO IIparticipant · IT
ISTANBUL UNIVERSITESI - CERRAHPASAparticipant · TR
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PAVIAparticipant · IT
ISTANBUL UNIVERSITESIparticipant · TR
UNIVERSIDADE DO PORTOparticipant · PT
STIFTELSEN NORSARparticipant · NO
UNIVERZA V LJUBLJANIparticipant · SI

How to reach the team

Anglia Ruskin University (UK) — contact through SciTransfer for introduction to the research team

Order a report on this consortium See ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITY profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to assess liquefaction risk for your construction site or retrofit existing infrastructure? SciTransfer can connect you with the LIQUEFACT team and help scope a pilot engagement.

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