Use the resources below to learn about this earthquake and the damage caused.

• The 1886 Charleston Earthquake, South Carolina (usgs.gov) – click on the Regional Information link for additional information about this earthquake.
• Charleston Earthquake and Geology (arcgis.com) – examine the historical and recent pictures of the damage.  You will also note a historical picture of the Randolph Hall and other buildings that may look familiar.  Look for the earthquake bolts that were installed in Randolph Hall and Porter’s Lodge.

Answer the following questions:

42. What was the estimated magnitude of this earthquake?
43. Where exactly is the epicenter of this earthquake? (Report in Latitude and Longitude).
44. You will notice that the epicenter is in a suburb of Charleston.  What is this area?  (Report name of town or area)
45. The depth/hypocenter of this earthquake is not reported. Explain why.
46. What is the most common type of damage seen in the pictures?
47. There are two photographs of nearly intact homes with a damaged masonry foundation.  What is the likely reason these buildings remained intact?
48. Overall, what types of structures experienced the most amount of damage?
49. How did the Randolph Hall, the Porter’s Lodge, and many similar historic buildings in the peninsula retrofit the buildings to prevent further damage?

Use the resources below to answer the following questions:

• Watch the videos above.
• 11.4 The Impacts of Earthquakes – Physical Geology – 2nd Edition (opentextbc.ca)

50. Explain liquefaction.
51. What kind of ground materials are prone to liquefaction?
52. Areas near the coastlines are more susceptible to liquefaction because of the shallow water tables. T/F
53. In the animation shown in the third video, which seismogram had the highest amplitude waves (the most destructive)?
54. What type of ground was shown to be the most susceptible to liquefaction?
55. Based on the evidence presented so far, the Charleston region is susceptible to liquefaction in the event of another strong earthquake. T/F
56. List two other countries (mentioned in the second video), where liquefaction caused significant damage.
57. According to the second video above, what is the most common way to stabilize building foundations in coastal areas prone to seismic hazards?

Let’s examine the changes to the historic footprint of the Charleston peninsula as well as the changes that were made to the landscape due to development.

• Charleston Earthquake and Geology (arcgis.com) – scroll to the section on Historical Development and the Surficial Geology of Charleston.  Click and move the Swipe Bar to see changes. Focus on the areas next to Cooper and Ashley Rivers.

58. The area of the Charleston peninsula increased over the past 100 years. T/F
59. Identify the areas of the Charleston peninsula that have changed dramatically.
60. How was new land created in these areas?
61. What kind of ground material is Randolph Hall on?
62. What kind of ground material is Market Street on?
63. What kind of ground material are Waterfront Park/Ports on?
64. What kind of ground material is the MUSC Hospital area on?
65. The market street area was the hardest-hit area in the 1886 earthquake. Why did the buildings sustain heavier damage here?
66. Which of the following areas is least likely to experience liquefaction in the event of a major earthquake today? Randolph Hall, Market Street, Ports, MUSC Hospital.
67. Which of these four locations is likely to experience liquefaction in the event of another major earthquake? Randolph Hall, Market Street, Ports, MUSC Hospital.