{"thcode":2,"term":{"code":661,"name":"liquefaction","parent":2284,"scope":"Physical process which can occur during an earthquake.  Clay-free soil deposits (primarily sands and silts)temporarily lose strength and behave as viscuous fluids, resulting in ground failure."},"uf":[],"bt":[{"code":2284,"name":"ground failure","parent":299,"scope":"Any consequences of shaking, including liquefaction, landslide, and lateral spread, that affects the stability of the ground."},{"code":299,"name":"earthquake occurrences","parent":304,"scope":"Time, location, severity, and mechanism of earthquake events, including the frequency and history of events in a given area."},{"code":304,"name":"earthquakes","parent":451,"scope":"Ground shaking caused by the sudden release of accumulated strain by an abrupt shift of rock along a fracture in the earth or by volcanic or magmatic activity, or other sudden stress changes in the earth."},{"code":451,"name":"geologic processes","parent":101,"scope":"All types of processes involving geological structures."},{"code":101,"name":"biological and physical processes","parent":1174,"scope":"All continuing activities, functions, and phenomena associated with organisms and non-living matter."},{"code":1174,"name":"topics","parent":1,"scope":"Themes, subjects, and concerns for which USGS information resources are relevant."},{"code":1,"name":"Categories","parent":null,"scope":"Thematic terms for categorizing information resources.  This thesaurus is intended to support finding and understanding scientific information."}],"nt":[],"rt":[{"code":337,"name":"engineering geology","parent":339,"scope":"Branch of geology involved in the application of soil and rock mechanics, natural hazards, and other geological studies to the practice of engineering and construction."},{"code":531,"name":"hazards","parent":1174,"scope":"Potential dangers from both natural processes (e.g., earthquakes, floods, and climate change) and human impacts on the environment."}]}