Laboratory Investigation on Assessing Liquefaction Resistance of Sandy Soils by Shear Wave Velocity
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 133, Issue 8
Abstract
Shear wave velocity offers engineers a promising alternative tool to evaluate liquefaction resistance of sandy soils, and the lack of sufficient in-situ databases makes controlled laboratory study very important. In this study, semitheoretical considerations were first given based on review of previous liquefaction studies, which predicted a possible relationship between laboratory cyclic resistance ratio and normalized with respect to the minimum void ratio, confining stress and exponent of Hardin equation. Undrained cyclic triaxial tests were then performed on three reconstituted sands with measured by bender elements, which verified this soil-type-dependent relationship. Further investigation on similar laboratory studies resulted in a database of 291 sets of data from 34 types of sandy soils, based on which the correlation between liquefaction resistance and was established statistically and further converted to equivalent field conditions with well-defined parameters, revealing that will vary proportionally with . Detailed comparisons with -based site-specific investigations show that the present lower-bound curve is a reliable prediction especially for sites with higher or . The framework of liquefaction assessment based on the present laboratory study is proposed for engineering practice.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
Much of the work described in this paper was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos. 10372089 and 50538010, and also partly by the Y. C. TANG Disciplinary Development Fund, Zhejiang University. These financial supports are gratefully acknowledged. The writers thank Dr. Han Ke of Zhejiang University, Professor Vincent P. Drnevich of Purdue University, and Professor James K. Mitchell of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University for their valuable exchanges of ideas about this study. Also, special thanks go to Professor Ronald D. Andrus and Professor C. Hsein Juang of Clemson University, and Professor Yao-Chung Chen of National Taiwan University of Science and Technology for their warm encouragement. Professor Jonathan P. Stewart of University of California (UCLA) and the anonymous reviewers are greatly appreciated for their insightful comments and suggestions that have led to a substantial improvement of this paper.
References
Andrus, R. D., Piratheepan, P., Ellis, B. S., Zhang, J. F., and Juang, C. H. (2004a). “Comparing liquefaction evaluation methods using penetration- relationships.” Soil Dyn. Earthquake Eng., 24(9–10), 713–721.
Andrus, R. D., and Stokoe II, K. H. (2000). “Liquefaction resistance of soils from shear-wave velocity.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 126(11), 1015–1025.
Andrus, R. D., Stokoe II, K. H., and Chung, R. M. (1999). “Draft guidelines for evaluating liquefaction resistance using shear wave velocity measurements and simplified procedures.” NISTIR 6277, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Md.
Andrus, R. D., Stokoe II, K. H., and Juang, C. H. (2004b). “Guide for shear wave-based liquefaction potential evaluation.” Earthquake Spectra, 20(2), 285–308.
Belloti, R., Jamiolkowski, J., Lo Presti, D. C. F., and O’Neill, D. A. (1996). “Anisotropy of small strain stiffness of Ticino sand.” Geotechnique, 46(1), 115–131.
Boulanger, R. W. (2003). “High overburden stress effects in liquefaction analyses.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 129(12), 1071–1082.
Boulanger, R. W., Mejia, L. H., and Idriss, I. M. (1997). “Liquefaction at Moss Landing during Loma Prieta earthquake.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 123(5), 453–467.
Building Seismic Safety Council (BSSC). (2000). “NEHRP recommended provisions for seismic regulations for new buildings and other structures, Parts 1 and 2.” FEMA–368, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, D.C.
Carraro, J. A. H., Bandini, P., and Salgado, R. (2003). “Liquefaction resistance of clean and nonplastic silty sands based on cone penetration resistance.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 129(11), 965–976.
Cascante, G., and Santamarina, J. C. (1996). “Interparticle contact behavior and wave propagation.” J. Geotech. Engrg., 122(10), 831–839.
Chen, Y. M., Ke, H., and Chen, R. P. (2005). “Correlation of shear wave velocity with liquefaction resistance based on laboratory tests.” Soil Dyn. Earthquake Eng., 25(6), 461–469.
Chen, Y. C., and Lee, C. G. (1994). “Evaluation of liquefaction resistance of sand by maximum shear modulus.” J. Chin. Inst. Eng., 17(5), 689–699.
Chen, Y. C., Liao, T. S., and Tseng, H. L. (2000). “State parameter and liquefaction resistance of overconsolidated sand.” J. Chinese Inst. of Civil and Hydraulic Eng., 12(4), 725–734.
Chen, Y. C., and You, P. S. (2004). “Evaluation of liquefaction potential by the test results of in-situ frozen samples.” Proc., 14th Int. Offshore and Polar Eng. Conf., Toulon, France, ISOPE, Danvers, 1, 563–570.
Chen, Y. M., and Zhou, Y. G. (2006). “Technique standardization of bender elements and international parallel test.” Geotech. Spec. Publ., 150, 90–97.
Cheng, G. Y. (2004). “Study on correlation between shear wave velocity and liquefaction resistance of saturated sand.” Ph.D. dissertation, Tianjin Univ., Tianjin, China (in Chinese).
Chu, B. L., Hsu, S. C., and Chang, Y. M. (2003). “Ground behavior and liquefaction analyses in central Taiwan-Wufeng.” Eng. Geol. (Amsterdam), 71(1–2), 119–139.
Chu, D. B., et al. (2004). “Documentation of soil conditions at liquefaction and nonliquefaction sites from 1999 Chi-Chi (Taiwan) earthquake.” Soil Dyn. Earthquake Eng., 24(9–10), 647–657.
De Alba, P., Baldwin, K., Janoo, V., Roe, G., and Celikkol, B. (1984). “Elastic-wave velocities and liquefaction potential.” Geotech. Test. J., 7(2), 77–87.
Dobry, R., Ladd, R. S., Yokel, F. Y., Chung, R. M., and Powell, D. (1982). “Prediction of pore water pressure buildup and liquefaction of sands during earthquakes by the cyclic strain method.” NBS Build. Sci. Ser. 138, National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, Md.
Dobry, R., Stokoe II, K. H., Ladd, R. S., and Youd, T. L. (1981). “Liquefaction susceptibility from S-wave velocity.” Proc., Nat. Convention, In Situ Tests to Evaluate Liquefaction Susceptibility, St. Louis, Mo., preprint 81–544, 15p.
Finn, W. D. L., Pickering, D. J., and Bransby, P. L. (1971). “Sand liquefaction in triaxial and simple shear tests.” J. Soil Mech. and Found. Div., 97(4), 639–659.
Fratta, D., Alshibli, K. A., Tanner, W. M., and Roussel, L. (2005). “Combined TDR and P-wave velocity measurements for the determination of in situ soil density-experimental study.” Geotech. Test. J., 28(6), 553–563.
Hardin, B. O., and Drnevich, V. P. (1972). “Shear modulus and damping in soils.” J. Soil Mech. and Found. Div., 98(7), 667–692.
Hsu, C. H. (2005). “The influence of previous cyclic loading on liquefaction resistance and shear wave velocity of sand.” MS thesis, National Taiwan Univ. of Science and Technology, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Huang, Y. T., Huang, A. B., Kuo, Y. C., and Tsai, M. D. (2004). “A laboratory study on the undrained strength of a silty sand from Central Western Taiwan.” Soil Dyn. Earthquake Eng., 24(9–10), 733–743.
Hynes, M. E., and Olsen, R. S. (1999). “Influence of confining stress on liquefaction resistance.” Proc., Int. Workshop on Phys., and Mech. of Soil Liquefaction, Balkema, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 145–152.
Idriss, I. M., and Boulanger, R. W. (2006). “Semiempirical procedures for evaluating liquefaction potential during earthquakes.” Soil Dyn. Earthquake Eng., 26(2–4), 115–130.
Ishibashi, I., and Capar, O. F. (2003). “Anisotropy and its relation to liquefaction resistance of granular material.” Soils Found., 43(5), 149–159.
Ishihara, K. (1996). Soil behavior in earthquake geotechnics, Oxford Univ. Press, New York.
Juang, C. H., Chen, C. J., and Jiang, T. (2001). “Probabilistic framework for liquefaction potential by shear wave velocity.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 127(8), 670–678.
Juang, C. H., Jiang, T., and Andrus, R. D. (2002). “Assessing probability-based methods for liquefaction potential evaluation.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 128(7), 580–589.
Jovicic, V., Coop, M. R., and Simic, M. (1996). “Objective criteria for determining from bender element tests.” Geotechnique, 46(2), 357–362.
Kayen, R. E., Seed, R. B., Moss, R. E., Cetin, O., Tanaka, Y., and Tokimatsu, K. (2004). “Global shear wave velocity database for probabilistic assessment of the initiation of seismic-soil liquefaction.” Proc., 11th Int. Conf. on Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Eng., Univ. of California and Stallion Press, Berkeley, 2, 506–512.
Kayen, R. E., Tanaka, Y., Shou, K. J., Kishida, T., and Sugimoto, S. (2003). “Surface wave investigation of soil liquefaction sites, September 21, 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake, Central Taiwan.” US.–Taiwan Workshop on Soil Liquefaction, ⟨http://www.ces. clemson.edu/UsTaiwanWorkshop⟩ (June 13, 2004).
Kokusho, T. (1980). “Cyclic triaxial test of dynamic soil properties for wide strain range.” Soils Found., 20(2), 45–60.
Lee, J. S., and Santamarina, J. C. (2005). “Bender elements: Performance and signal interpretation.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 131(9), 1063–1070.
Leon, E., Gassman, S. L., and Talwani P. (2006). “Accounting for soil aging when assessing liquefaction potential.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 132(3), 363–377.
Liao, S. S. C., and Whitman, R. V. (1986). “Overburden correction factors for SPT in sand.” J. Geotech. Engrg., 112(3), 373–377.
Lin, P. S., Chang, C. W., and Chang, W. J. (2004). “Characterization of liquefaction resistance in gravelly soil: Large hammer penetration test and shear wave velocity approach.” Soil Dyn. Earthquake Eng., 24(9–10), 675–687.
Liu, A. H., Stewart, J. P., Abrahamson, N. A., and Moriwaki, Y. (2001). “Equivalent number of uniform stress cycles for soil liquefaction analysis.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 127(12), 1017–1026.
Liu, N., and Mitchell, J. K. (2006). “Influence of nonplastic fines on shear wave velocity-based assessment of liquefaction.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 132(8), 1091–1097.
Liu, X. S., Wang, W. S., and Chang, Y. P. (1996). “Investigation on determination method of in-situ cyclic strength of saturated sandy soils.” China Civ. Eng. J., 29(2), 65–74 (in Chinese).
Mulilis, J. P., Seed, H. B., Chan, C. K., Mitchell, J. K., and Arulanandan, K. (1977). “Effects of sample preparation on sand liquefaction.” J. Geotech. Engrg. Div., 103(2), 91–108.
Rauch, A. F., Duffy, M., and Stokoe, II, K. H. (2000). “Laboratory correlation of liquefaction resistance with shear wave velocity.” Geotech. Spec. Publ., 110, 66–80.
Robertson, P. K., Woeller, D. J., and Finn, W. D. L. (1992). “Seismic cone penetration test for evaluating liquefaction potential under cyclic loading.” Can. Geotech. J., 29(4), 686–695.
Rollins, K. M., Evans, M. D., Diehl, N. B., and Daily, W. D., III (1998). “Shear modulus and damping relationships for gravels.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 124(5), 396–405.
Roy, D. (2005). “Liquefaction susceptibility and shear wave velocity.” Proc., 16th Int. Conf. on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Osaka, Millpress, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 2, 435–438.
Sakai, Y., and Yasuda, S. (1977). “Liquefaction characteristics of undisturbed sandy soils.” Proc., 12th Annual Meeting JSSMFE, 389–392 (in Japanese).
Saygili, G., Hanna, A. M., and Ural, D. (2005). “Neural network model for liquefaction potential in layered soils using Turkey and Taiwan earthquake data.” Geotech. Spec. Publ., 133, 1377–1390.
Seed, H. B. (1979). “Soil liquefaction and cyclic mobility evaluation for level ground during earthquakes.” J. Geotech. Engrg. Div., 105(2), 201–255.
Seed, H. B. (1983). “Earthquake-resistant design of earth dams.” Proc., Symposium on Seismic Design of Embankments and Caverns, ASCE, New York, 41–64.
Seed, H. B., and Idriss, I. M. (1971). “Simplified procedure for evaluating soil liquefaction potential.” J. Soil Mech. and Found. Div., 97(9), 1249–1273.
Seed, H. B., and Idriss, I. M. (1982). “Ground motions and soil liquefaction during earthquakes.” Engineering monographs on earthquake criteria, structural design, and strong motion records, Berkeley, Calif.
Seed, H. B., Idriss, I. M., and Arango, I. (1983). “Evaluation of liquefaction potential using field performance data.” J. Geotech. Engrg., 109(3), 458–482.
Seed, R. B., et al. (2003). “Recent advances in soil liquefaction engineering: A unified and consistent framework.” Rep. No. EERG 2003-06, Earthquake Engineering Research Center, University of California, Berkeley.
Tokimatsu, K., and Uchida, A. (1990). “Correlation between liquefaction resistance and shear wave velocity.” Soils Found., 30(2), 33–42.
Tokimatsu, K., Yamazaki, T., and Yoshimi, Y. (1986). “Soil liquefaction evaluation by elastic shear moduli.” Soils Found., 26(1), 25–35.
Wang, J. H., Moran, K., and Baxter, Christopher D. P. (2006). “Correlation between cyclic resistance ratios of intact and reconstituted offshore saturated sands and silts with the same shear wave velocity.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 132(12), 1574–1580.
Wu, S. H. (2006). “The influence of previous cyclic loading on liquefaction behavior of sand.” MS thesis, National Taiwan Univ. of Science and Technology, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Yoshimi, Y., Tokimatsu, K., and Hosaka, Y. (1989). “Evaluation of liquefaction resistance of clean sands based on high-quality undisturbed samples.” Soils Found., 29(1), 93–104.
Youd, T. L. et al. (2001). “Liquefaction resistance of soils: Summary report from the 1996 NCEER and 1998 NCEER/NSF workshops on evaluation of liquefaction resistance of soils.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 127(10), 817–833.
Zhou, Y. G. (2007). “Shear wave-based characterization of soil structure and its geotechnical applications.” Ph.D. dissertation, Zhejiang Univ., Hangzhou, P. R. China (in Chinese).
Zhou, Y. G., and Chen, Y. M. (2005). “Influence of seismic cyclic loading history on small strain shear modulus of saturated sands.” Soil Dyn. Earthquake Eng., 25(5), 341–353.
Zhou, Y. G., Chen, Y. M., and Ding, H. J. (2005). “Analytical solutions to piezoelectric bimorphs based on improved FSDT beam model.” Smart Struct. Systems, 1(3), 309–324.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 133 • Issue 8 • August 2007
Pages: 959 - 972
Copyright
© 2007 ASCE.
History
Received: Aug 10, 2004
Accepted: Oct 11, 2006
Published online: Aug 1, 2007
Published in print: Aug 2007
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.