Also as seen in construction - coping with or preventing ground liquefaction under the vibration of an earthquake is a major consideration in foundation design. San Francisco's SoMa district is particularly prone to the phenomenon given its high water table and sandy soil, and so all construction there needs to include analysis of liquefaction risks in its regulatory filings.

Liquefaction under the normal pressure of a building's weight can also be a problem, and may have contributed to the notorious sinking of the (also in SoMa) Millennium Tower.