Lateral flow-induced damage in residential buildings: Case study of the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, Japan

The 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake (Mw 7.5) caused widespread liquefaction across Ishikawa Prefecture, with severe lateral flow observed in Uchinada Town. This study investigates two adjacent residential buildings in the Muro district that exhibited contrasting damage patterns despite their close proximity. One building, supported by grouted piles, remained largely unaffected, while the other, built on spread footings, experienced over 12m of lateral displacement and structural tilting. A multidisciplinary team carried out comprehensive site assessments to examine the underlying causes of this contrasting behavior. This paper highlights the results of those investigations and provides a factorial analysis to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for the observed damage, with particular emphasis on the role of foundation type and local ground conditions in mitigating or amplifying liquefaction effects.