Assessment of Liquefaction Potential Using Optimum Seeking Method
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 124, Issue 8
Abstract
The use of the cone penetration test (CPT) resistance data as an index for liquefaction assessments is receiving increased attention because of the advantages of this in-situ test method. This paper investigates the feasibility of using the optimum seeking method to assess liquefaction potential from actual CPT field data. Optimization theory is a very important branch of applied mathematics, and has a wide application in the practical world. Using the available field liquefaction and nonliquefaction data, the influence of various factors is quantified using the optimum seeking method. The factors considered are: the earthquake magnitude, M; the vertical effective overburden stress, ; the CPT tip resistance, qc; the peak acceleration at the ground surface of the site, amax; and the median grain diameter of the soil, D50. The most important factor has been identified as the CPT tip resistance. Since neither normalization of qc nor calculation of seismic shear stress is required, the proposed method is simpler than the conventional method of evaluating liquefaction potential. Comparisons indicate that the proposed method gives a rate of success for evaluating liquefaction potential equivalent to or somewhat higher than that by the conventional method.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Dobry, G., Ladd, R. S., Yokel, F. Y., Chung, R. M., and Powell, D. (1983). “Prediction of pore pressure buildup and liquefaction of sands during earthquakes by the cyclic strain methods.”Build. Sci. Ser. 138, Nat. Bureau of Standards, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.
2.
Kayen, R. E., Mitchell, J. K., Seed, R. B., Lodge, A., Nishio, S., and Coutinho, R. (1992). “Evaluation of SPT-, CPT-, and shear-wave– based methods for liquefaction potential assessments using Loma Prieta data.”Proc., 4th Japan-U.S. Workshop on Earthquake Resistant Des. of Lifeline Fac. and Countermeasures for Soil Liquefaction, NCEER-92-0019, Nat. Ctr. for Earthquake Engrg., Buffalo, N.Y., 177–192.
3.
Kiefer, J.(1953). “Sequential minimax search for a maximum.”Proc., Am. Math. Soc., 4, 502–506.
4.
Mahmood-Zadegan, B., Juran, I., and Tumay, M. T.(1991). “Cone penetration testing for in-situ evaluation of liquefaction potential of sands.”Proc., Geotech. Engrg. Congr., Geotech. Spec. Publ. No. 27, ASCE, Reston, Va., 2, 777–787.
5.
Pun, L. (1969). Introduction to optimization practice. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, N.Y.
6.
Robertson, P. K., and Campanella, R. G. (1985). “Liquefaction potential of sands using the CPT.”J. Geotech. Engrg., ASCE, 111(3), 384– 403.
7.
Seed, H. B.(1979). “Soil liquefaction and cyclic mobility evaluation for level ground during earthquake.”J. Geotech. Engrg., ASCE, 105(2), 201–255.
8.
Seed, H. B., and De Alba, P. M. (1986). “Use of SPT and CPT tests for evaluating the liquefaction resistance of sands.”Proc., INSITU '86, ASCE Spec. Conf. on Use of In Situ Testing in Geotech. Engrg., Spec. Publ. No. 6, ASCE, Reston, Va., 281–302.
9.
Seed, H. B., and Idriss, I. M.(1971). “Simplified procedure for evaluating soil liquefaction potential.”J. Soil Mech. Found. Engrg., ASCE, 97(9), 1249–1273.
10.
Seed, H. B., Idriss, I. M., and Argango, I.(1983). “Evaluation of liquefaction potential using field performance data.”J. Geotech. Engrg., ASCE, 109(3), 458–482.
11.
Seed, H. B., and Lee, K. L.(1966). “Liquefaction of saturated sands during cyclic loading.”J. Soil Mech. Found. Engrg., ASCE, 92(6), 105–134.
12.
Seed, H. B., Tokimatsu, H., Harder, L. F., and Chung, R. M.(1985). “Influence of SPT procedure in seismic liquefaction resistance evaluations.”J. Geotech. Engrg., ASCE, 11(12), 1425–1445.
13.
Shibata, T., and Teparaksa, W.(1988). “Evaluation of liquefaction potentials of soils using cone penetration tests.”Soils and Found., Tokyo, Japan, 28(2), 49–60.
14.
Stark, T. D., and Olson, S. M.(1995). “Liquefaction resistance using CPT and field case histories.”J. Geotech. Engrg., ASCE, 121(12), 856–869.
15.
Tokimatsu, K., and Yoshimi, Y.(1983). “Empirical correlation of soil liquefaction based on SPT N-value and fines content.”Soils and Found., Tokyo, Japan, 23(4), 56–74.
16.
Walsh, G. R. (1975). Methods of optimization. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, N.Y.
17.
Zhou, S. G., and Zhang, S. M. (1979). “Liquefaction investigation in Tangshan district.”Rep. of China Acad. of Railway Sci., Ministry of Railway, Beijing, China (in Chinese).
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
Copyright © 1998 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Aug 1, 1998
Published in print: Aug 1998
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.