Simplified Method for Spatial Evaluation of Liquefaction Potential in the St. Louis Area
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 137, Issue 5
Abstract
As a part of an earthquake hazard mapping program being undertaken by the U.S. Geological Survey in the St. Louis metropolitan area, surficial geologic mapping and subsurface geotechnical data have been compiled into a three-dimensional geographic information system (GIS). The potential for soil liquefaction was then spatially evaluated by using subsurface information from 562 boreholes for an assumed M7.5 earthquake emanating from the New Madrid Seismic Zone. Geotechnical data (standard penetration test -values, overburden pressure, and depth-to-groundwater) and the scenario peak ground accelerations (, 0.20, and ) were applied to evaluate the factor of safety (FS) against earthquake-induced liquefaction. The liquefaction potential index (LPI) method was used in these evaluations because it allows for calculations of FS with depth for 10–25 discrete stratigraphic horizons overlying the bedrock across the St. Louis metropolitan area. LPI values were derived from the correlation between calculated LPI values and the depths-to-groundwater within late Quaternary stratigraphic units. The St. Louis metropolitan area was then classed according to four levels of severity of risk from liquefaction: (1) no liquefaction potential, (2) little-to-no likelihood, (3) moderate, and (4) severe.
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Acknowledgments
The authors thank David Shaver at the USGS Mid-Continent Geographic Science Center for his many useful suggestions; David Grimley and Andrew Phillips at the ISGS for discussing and providing the surficial geology map; Robert Bauer at the ISGS and James Palmer at the MoDGLS for providing subsurface databases; Eugene Schweig of the USGS for supporting the acquisition of electronic format data from cooperating agencies; Richard Harrison of the USGS for providing all previous geologic mapping by that agency; and Ronaldo Luna at Missouri University of Science and Technology for helping interpret the liquefaction potential. We also express our appreciation to the other members of the St. Louis area hazard mapping project-technical working group for their advice, overview, and comments. The authors are grateful to the reviewers for their valuable comments. This work was supported by the Missouri S&T Hasselmann Endowment.
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 137 • Issue 5 • May 2011
Pages: 505 - 515
Copyright
© 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Jul 2, 2009
Accepted: Sep 24, 2010
Published online: Sep 27, 2010
Published in print: May 1, 2011
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