Damage Survey of the Noto Peninsula Earthquake (January 1, 2024)

Mitigating Liquefaction Damage with the TNF Method

Following the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, we conducted an on-site damage survey in affected blocks in Niigata City.
While many cases of liquefaction damage were reported, buildings constructed with the TNF method showed little to no settlement, minimizing damage to the structures.

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Overview of the Noto Peninsula Earthquake (Niigata City)

Date and time: Around 16:10 on January 1, 2024

Epicenter: Noto Region, Ishikawa Prefecture

Magnitude: 7.6 / Maximum seismic intensity: 7

Damage in Niigata Prefecture

Seismic intensity of 5+ to 6− was observed in Niigata City and other areas.
Building damage was particularly severe in Niigata City, accounting for a large share of the total number of damaged buildings in the prefecture.

Housing Damage (Prefecture-wide)

Completely destroyed: 109 buildings
Partially destroyed: 4,122 buildings (including within Niigata City)
Partially damaged / other damage: Numerous reports

Overview of Liquefaction Damage

Widespread liquefaction occurred mainly in Nishi Ward and Konan Ward of Niigata City.
Damage such as settlement and tilting was confirmed on roads, residential land, and buildings.

Source: Niigata Prefecture Disaster Digital Archive “Reiwa 6 Noto Peninsula Earthquake” (external website)

Sand boils and cracks caused by liquefaction

*Photo taken by our company (Location: Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture / Date: January 17, 2024)

Damage Comparison: TNF Method vs. Conventional Methods

We conducted an on-site comparative survey in affected areas of Niigata City following the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, comparing buildings constructed with the TNF method and buildings using conventional methods.
Despite widespread reports of liquefaction damage, we confirmed that buildings using the TNF method showed little to no ground settlement, effectively minimizing structural damage.

*(Figure) Sakai, Nishi Ward, Niigata City (Liquefaction-prone area)*

Building Using Other Methods (1)

Building Using Other Methods (2)

Building Using the TNF Method

*No liquefaction damage in TNF-applied area (business as usual)*

*Project Information

Project Type	Construction Period	Improved Area (m²)	Improvement Volume (m³)	Building Scale	Structure Type
Retail Store (Drugstore)	March 2011	1,348	1,835	Single-story	Steel structure (S structure)

Damage to Exterior Areas and Next Steps

While there was little to no damage to the building itself, cracks caused by ground settlement occurred in exterior areas (such as the parking lot) outside the TNF improvement zone.
This survey demonstrated the effectiveness of the TNF method in mitigating liquefaction damage, and also clarified that expanding the improvement area to include exterior zones can further reduce damage across the entire site.