The western half of Cal Memorial Stadium is built on unconsolidated soils and the eastern half on a cut slope, and consequently there is cracking of the settling structure. Not all of the cracking is due to the settling of the ground, however. The Hayward Fault passes through section KK of the stadium and offsets of the expansion joints are clearly visible. Underneath the stands, recently-patched cracks in the columns indicate the steady creep along the fault.

The University recognizes the threat of the Hayward Fault and the damage and economic consequences that are likely, and is presently proceeding with a plan to retrofit (upgrade) buildings rated "poor" for life safety. The expense for this program is estimated at over $1 billion (over $14 million for the stadium alone, according to a 1997 figure), and the estimated timeframe for completion of work is 20-30 years.

The Stadium is one of several sites where the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory monitors the motion of the ground. As part of a project to study the Hayward fault with the USGS, the BSL has installed sensors in a borehole located on the north side of the stadium at station CMSB. Further east, in the Byerly vault up in Strawberry Canyon, the BSL maintains station BKS. The Memento Mori project, put together by Ken Goldberg, provides a unique perspective on our proximity to the forces of nature by merging art, philosophy, and seismograms being recorded at this site.