Quick clay, also known as Leda Clay and Champlain Sea Clay in
Canada, is a unique form of highly sensitive
marine clay, with the tendency to change from a relatively stiff condition to a liquid mass when it is disturbed. Undisturbed quick clay resembles a water-saturated
gel. When a block of clay is held in the hand and struck, however, it instantly turns into a flowing ooze, a process known as
liquefaction. Quick clay behaves this way because, although it is solid, it has a very high water content, up to 80%. The clay retains a solid structure despite the high water content, because
surface tension holds water-coated flakes of clay together in a delicate structure. When the structure is broken by a shock, it reverts to a fluid state. The fluid state can also be promoted by dilution of the original salt water content by fresh water, as this affects the chemical bonds between clay particles.
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Sediment that sets off a sudden mudflow by changing rapidly from solid to liquid form, as after an earthquake, an explosion, or thunder
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