Taiwan updates soil liquefaction maps for northern regions

Taiwan's Geological Survey and Mining Management Center, under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, has released updated soil liquefaction potential maps covering six northern regions: Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Yilan, Hsinchu County, and Hsinchu City.

The update features a significant increase in data precision, with the number of geological drill holes rising from 3,571 to 11,731. This expansion covers a total analysis area of 909.8 square kilometers. The new maps also include a distribution map of soft soil layers to assist in construction safety and engineering design.

Officials noted that while approximately 80% of the assessed areas maintain their previous classification, some adjustments were made in specific locations due to the increased density of drilling data and long-term groundwater level observations. The center emphasized that being in a high-potential zone does not inherently mean a building is unsafe, provided that proper ground improvement and structural reinforcement are implemented. The updated data is accessible to the public via an online query system.