Yikes!-----Mystery of the Cargo Ships That Sink When Their Cargo Suddenly Liquefies - Slashdot

Mystery of the Cargo Ships That Sink When Their Cargo Suddenly Liquefies - Slashdot: 
"An anonymous reader writes (condensed for space):
On average, ten "solid bulk cargo" carriers have been lost at sea each year for the last decade. 
Solid bulk cargoes -- defined as granular materials loaded directly into a ship's hold -- can suddenly turn from a solid state into a liquid state, a process known as liquefaction. 
And this can be disastrous for any ship carrying them -- and their crew. 
A lot is known about the physics of the liquefaction of granular materials from geotechnical and earthquake engineering. 
The vigorous shaking of the earth causes pressure in the ground water to increase to such a level that the soil "liquefies." 
Yet despite our understanding of this phenomenon, and the guidelines in place to prevent it occurring, it is still causing ships to sink and taking their crew with them."