| Abstract: | The paper is concerned with the earthquake-induced displacements on pre-existing shear surfaces in cohesive soils. Results from ring shear tests have shown that during fast shearing the strength of such surfaces depends on displacement and rate of shearing. The test results have been used in a numerical analysis to assess the displacement of a rigid block sliding on a plane surface. The results from the analysis show that the earthquake-induced displacements on pre-existing shear surfaces are influenced significantly by the soil behaviour under earthquake loading conditions. The results are consistent with the field performance of pre-existing slides in cohesive soils during earthquakes. |
