"The idea of Quake Foam came about from a desire to find a use for the liquefaction," said Dominic Sutton, Regional Sales Manager, from Firth. "We took samples of the silt to analyse its characteristics to see if it could be used as a substitute for sand in any of our products."

Tests showed that the fineness of liquefaction rules it out for use in applications that require strength and durability, but that it could be used as a filler of gaps and holes, especially in areas with restricted access such as under houses and deep crevices or trenches. With the product easily compactable, it also means that it can be laid quickly and without much effort, will not settle over time and can be easily excavated if required.

"Quake Foam is similar to our Flowable Fill product," adds Dominic. "So all we did was swap out some of the sand used in our normal mix and replace it with the silt and adjust the mix. I've had experience with using Flowable Fill in mine shafts on the West Coast. Quake Foam essentially works the same way and can help put a dent in the mounds of liquefaction piled up around the city."

Firth is ready to supply Quake Foam when it is needed and believes there's enough silt to use the product to fill every hole, trench and crack in the city.

For more information on Firth's Quake Foam contact us at info@firth.co.nz or 0800 800 576.