Assessment of liquefaction potential based on shear wave velocity: Strain energy approach

Abstract

Liquefaction assessment based on strain energy is significantly superior to conventional stress-based methods. The main purpose of the present study is to investigate the correlation between shear wave velocity and strain energy capacity of silty sands. The dissipated energy until liquefaction occurs was calculated by analyzing the results of three series of comprehensive cyclic direct simple shear and triaxial tests on Ottawa F65, Nevada, and Firoozkuh sands with varying silt content by weight and relative densities. Additionally, the shear wave velocity of each series was obtained using bender element or resonant column tests. Consequently, for the first time, a liquefaction triggering criterion, relating to effective overburden normalized liquefaction capacity energy (WL/σc’) to effective overburden stress-corrected shear wave velocity (Vs1) has been introduced. The accuracy of the proposed criteria was evaluated using in situ data. The results confirm the ability of shear wave velocity as a distinguishing parameter for separating liquefied and non-liquefied soils when it is calculated against liquefaction capacity energy (WL/σc’). However, the proposed WL/σc’-Vs1 curve, similar to previously proposed cyclic resistance ratio (CRR)-Vs1 relationships, should be used conservatively for fields vulnerable to liquefaction-induced lateral spreading.

Keywords

• Liquefaction
• Strain energy capacity
• Shear wave velocity
• Cyclic triaxial test
• Cyclic direct simple shear test
• Resonant column test