Researchers help prepare Portland International Airport for when 'The Big One' hits Researchers at Oregon State University just saved the Portland International Airport more than $30 million — by blowing up the ground around it. Author: Keely Chalmers (KGW) Updated: 10:16 PM PDT July 8, 2021 The phenomenon is called liquefaction. It happens when sandy soil with shallow groundwater shakes in an earthquake and behaves like liquid. And it's a danger the Pacific Northwest could face in the coming years. The Portland International Airport (PDX) is in an area at high risk for liquefaction. "We have to have a runway. And since both runways are highly susceptible to liquefaction, we're working towards that," said Tom Wharton, a project engineer with the Port of Portland.