A practical reliability-based method for assessing soil liquefaction potential

The current simplified methods for assessing soil liquefaction potential use a deterministic safety factor in order to judge whether liquefaction will occur or not. However, these methods are unable to determine the liquefaction probability related to a safety factor. An answer to this problem can be found by reliability analysis. This paper presents a reliability analysis method based on the popular Seed'85 liquefaction analysis method. This reliability method uses the empirical acceleration attenuation law in the Taiwan area to derive the probability density distribution function (PDF) and the statistics for the earthquake-induced cyclic shear stress ratio (CSR). The PDF and the statistics for the cyclic resistance ratio (CRR) can be deduced from some probabilistic cyclic resistance curves. These curves are produced by the regression of the liquefaction and non-liquefaction data from the Chi-Chi earthquake and others around the world, using, with minor modifications, the logistic model proposed by Liao [J. Geotech. Eng. 114 (1988) 389]. The CSR and CRR statistics are used in conjunction with the first order and second moment method, to calculate the relation between the liquefaction probability, the safety factor and the reliability index. Based on the proposed method, the liquefaction probability related to a safety factor can be easily calculated. The influence of some of the soil parameters on the liquefaction probability can be quantitatively evaluated.     

Assessment of soil liquefaction incorporating earthquake characteristics

This paper investigates the effect of nature of the earthquake on the assessment of liquefaction potential of a soil deposit during earthquake loading. Here, the nature of the earthquake is included via the parameter V, the ‘pseudo-velocity’, that is the gross area under the acceleration record of the earthquake at any depth below the ground surface. By analysing a number of earthquake records from different parts of the world, a simple method has been outlined to assess the liquefaction potential of a soil deposit based on the pseudo-velocity. For many earthquakes occurred in the past, acceleration records are available or can be computed at the ground level or some other depth below the ground surface. Therefore, this method is a useful tool at the preliminary design stage to determine the liquefaction potential before going into a detailed analysis. Validation of the method is carried out using a database of case histories consisting of standard penetration test values, acceleration records at the ground surface and field observations of liquefaction/non-liquefaction. It can be seen that the proposed method has the ability to predict soil liquefaction potential accurately, despite its simplicity.     

应用剪切波速判别砂土液化的研究综述

首先介绍了应用剪切波速判别饱和砂土振动液化的原理；然后从临界剪应变取值、砂土的抗液化能力与剪切波速相关关系的研究方法与设备、用剪切波速进行扰动评价、建立适用于不同土类的统一判别式四方面总结了国内外学者在该领域的一些研究成果及存在问题；最后针对以上问题提出作者的一些看法。     

Study on liquefaction of saturated loess by in-situ explosion test

Liquefaction testing at a saturated loess site was performed under the simulated earthquake ground motion induced by artificial explosions with micro-time intervals. The time histories of ground acceleration, pore water pressure and the ultimate value of residual strain were recorded and measured. The modified FEQdrain computation software was used to analyze the liquefaction. Both the test and the analysis confirm the objective occurrence of loess liquefaction. Furthermore, the reliability of the method of the loess liquefaction analysis based on FEQdrain and the model of pore water pressure development of saturated loess are examined. Supported by: China Ministry of Science and Technology (Granted No.2000-35), Registration No.for Publications of Lanzhou Institute of Seismology, CSB:LC2002-001.     

Seismogenically induced fluidization of Jurassic erg sands, south-central Utah

Large bodies of fluidized sandstone occur in the Jurassic Entrada, Carmel, Page and Navajo Formations at several locations in south‐central Utah. They are most abundant in the Entrada Sandstone, where they commonly occur in clusters, have a cylindrical form and have a sharp contact with their cross‐bedded host rock. These clastic pipes are as wide as 75 m and have exposed heights of as much as 100 m. Some of the Entrada pipes extend well into the underlying Carmel redbeds. Other clastic pipes in the Entrada Sandstone are less deformed and display various degrees of brittle‐to‐hydroplastic deformation and liquefaction. Clastic pipes in the Page and Navajo Sandstones are less common, but are similar in size and form to those in the Entrada and Carmel, and probably have a similar origin. Some massive sandstone bodies are irregular in form and have tongue‐like projections into the host rock, implying forcible injection of fluidized sand. Several pipe–host contacts in the Entrada Sandstone display small‐scale ring faults. Where relative displacement can be clearly demonstrated, pipe sandstones are invariably down‐faulted, locally as much as 5 m. At two sites, Carmel host rock is upwarped around the Entrada pipes. Stratified and cross‐bedded breccia blocks occur in many Entrada pipes, and preliminary petrographic analysis indicates that at least some of these breccia blocks are derived from the host rock. Homogeneous pipe sandstones are also petrographically similar to their Entrada host rock, suggesting that some pipes originate through fluidization of the fine‐grained Entrada. Fluidization of the Entrada must have occurred in a water‐saturated environment during early diagenesis but before complete lithification, most probably under considerable porewater pressure. Although there are no known modern analogues to these huge masses of structureless sandstone, they may have a small‐scale modern counterpart in earthquake‐induced sandblows. These features were most probably caused by large‐magnitude seismic events during the Middle Jurassic, although other possibilities cannot be ruled out at this point.     

Analysis of liquefaction susceptibility of nearly saturated sands

A new constitutive formulation for simulating the behaviour of nearly saturated sands under seismic loads is presented. The formulation is based on combining the Henry's law for dissolution of gas in water, the ideal or perfect gas law and the law of conservation of mass. The effects of transient air dissolution in water on the compressibility of partially saturated soils are also taken into account. The model was calibrated based on numerical simulations of isotropically consolidated cyclic triaxial tests conducted on partially saturated samples of Toyoura sand. A multi‐yield plasticity soil constitutive model implemented in the finite element code DYNAFLOW was used for these numerical simulations. It is shown that the formulation proposed here is able to reasonably predict the soil cyclic undrained behaviour at various degrees of saturation (95% and higher). Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于重塑饱和砂土模型的现场液化试验方法

基于现场开展土体液化问题研究势必成为今后土动力学中的一个重要发展方向。目前人工激振下的现场液化试验方法还不够成熟,尚需进一步探索和发展。本文从试验设备组成、场地地震动激励、试坑布置、饱和砂土模型制备、数据测量与采集等5个方面论述该方法中的主要技术问题。研究表明:动力加载系统激励产生的地震动在0~7m/s2;系统工作频率13~15Hz,饱和砂土模型与基础边缘的距离在0.5~2.5m范围内,更适合进行液化试验;应用水沉法现场制备饱和砂土模型,要重点注意试坑防水和尺寸定位的问题;数据测量与采集中要充分考虑对现场液化问题认识不够这一因素的影响,需对数据测量与采集提出附加要求;试验实例初步表明,该方法可行,适合开展液化问题研究。     

强震作用下深厚砂质覆盖层土坝有效应力动力分析

利用基于Biot的饱和多孔介质理论和砂土多重机构模型的动力分析有限元程序FLIP,对遭受M6.7地震的国外某深厚砂质覆盖层土坝进行有效应力动力分析,研究坝体和地基的动力反应特性及其超静孔隙水压力的分布规律。通过对坝体加速度和永久变形的计算结果与现场实测数据的比较分析,证明两者之间存在一定差异,但计算结果基本上反映坝体加速度与永久变形的实际分布特征,从而说明采用的数值计算方法和本构模型具有一定精度。根据计算结果可以得出:坝体无液化发生;坝底上游浅层地基可能会发生局部液化,但范围较小,可以不进行加固处理;坝趾附近浅层地基可能会发生较大范围的液化,因此须采取相应的抗液化加固措施。     

颗粒物质在等比例应变加载下的分散性失稳模式

由地下水引起的静力液化可能是边坡失稳的隐含机制之一,松砂在不排水剪切条件下可能发生静力液化,密实的颗粒集合体在特定的应变路径下也会出现相似的现象,即试样整体发生急剧的失稳,应力状态尚处于峰值强度线以内。该种失稳模式称为分散性失稳,是为了强调失稳模式中没有出现应变局部化或者剪切带。采用连续-离散耦合分析方法,研究由不规则形状颗粒组成的密实集合体在等比例应变加载路径下的力学特性。根据Hill的材料失稳理论,当试样的应力增量 和应变增量 对应的2阶功 为负时,试样即发生不可逆的整体失稳破坏。以根据不同等比例应变路径得到 曲线为界,在 平面内将试样的应力状态分为剪缩区、剪胀-稳定区和剪胀-非稳定区,连接不同围压下试样发生分散性失稳时的应力状态形成失稳线发现,峰值强度线高于临界状态线,临界状态线高于失稳线。     

Dynamic liquefaction of Jurassic sand dunes: processes,Origins, and implications

Soft‐sediment deformation occurs in ancient eolian dune deposits, but understanding its extent and the conditions and forces behind the deformation often remains elusive. Here we gain insight into the aerial extent and environmental conditions related to intense soft‐sediment deformation, based on an exceptional three dimensional (3D) exposure of eolian dune deposits and preserved geomorphic landscape expressions in the Jurassic Navajo Sandstone at White Pocket, Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona. Deformation features include elongate northeast trending decameter‐scale mounds and raised ridges cored by deformed and upturned eolian dune sets, overlain by a massive blanket sandstone with breccia blocks. The geomorphic mounds display ~40–60 m spacing, roughly perpendicular to the southerly paleoflow dune foreset directions. The geometry of the deformation is imaged by oblique aerial photography using cameras mounted on a remote control airplane and high resolution panoramas with a robotic camera mount. We interpret the exquisitely preserved deformation features as liquefaction‐induced ground failure, consistent with theoretical and laboratory studies of deformation in saturated sand. A shallow water table affected by differential dune loading facilitated lateral spreading and failure. The transition to steady‐state flow liquefaction near the top of the shallow water table destroyed original sedimentary structure, creating a massive sand blanket that entrained brecciated blocks ripped up during flow. The water‐pressurized, upwelled sediment created the mounds (a relief inversion). In underlying deformed dune sets, deformation was intense but sedimentary structure was not obliterated as deformation progressed from initial cyclic mobility to strain‐softening, but ceased prior to steady‐state flow liquefaction. The spatial extent, topographic relief, and intensity of dynamic deformation suggest an origin of strong ground motion driven by long‐duration surface waves of a large earthquake (> Mw 7–8), possibly related to back arc thrusting from Jurassic subduction of the Pacific plate under North America. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.