• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.295-301
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• 2024

Understanding the post-liquefaction shear behavior is crucial for predicting and assessing the damage, such as lateral flow, caused by liquefaction. Most studies have focused on the behavior until liquefaction occurs. In this study, we performed undrained multi-stage tests on clean sand, sand-silt mixtures, and silty soils to investigate post-liquefaction shear strain based on soil compressibility. The results confirmed that it is necessary to consider the soil compressibility and the shape of soil particles to understand the post-liquefaction shear strain characteristics. Based on this, an index reflecting soil compressibility and particle shape was derived, and the results showed a high correlation with post-liquefaction small resistance characteristic regardless of soil type and fine particle content.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2001.09a
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• pp.28-35
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• 2001

Liquefaction potential on the specific site of nuclear power plant is analyzed and reviewed. The layered site fur this study consists of silt and sand. Based on the limited available soil data, maximum shear strength at critical locations using Seed & Idriss method and computer program SHAKE is calculated, and liquefaction potential is reviewed. Seismic input motion used fur the assessment of liquefaction is the artificial time history compatible with the US NRC regulatory Guider .60. Assessment results of the liquefaction are validated by analyzing to the other typical soil fecundations which can show the effects of foundation depth and soil data.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.503-513
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• 2019

In the present, the liquefaction potential of fiber-reinforced sandy soils was investigated through the energy-based approach by conducting a series of strain-controlled cyclic simple shear tests. In the tests, the effects of the fiber properties, such as the fiber content, fiber length, relative density and effective stress, and the test parameters on sandy soil improvement were investigated. The results indicated that the fiber inclusion yields to higher cumulative liquefaction energy values compared to the unreinforced (plain) ground by increasing the number of cycles and shear strength needed for the liquefaction of the soil. This result reveals that the fiber inclusion increases the resistance of the soil to liquefaction. However, the increase in the fiber content was determined to be more effective on the test results compared to the fiber length. Furthermore, the increase in the relative density of the soil increases the efficiency of the fibers on soil strengthening.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.229-240
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• 2019

The physical models are useful to understand the soil behaviour. Hence, these tools allow validating analytical theories and numerical data. This paper addresses the design, construction and implementation of a physical model able to simulate the soil liquefaction under different cyclic actions. The model was instrumented with a piezoelectric actuator and a set of transducers to measure the porewater pressures, displacements and accelerations of the system. The soil liquefaction was assessed in three different grain size particles of a natural sand by applying a sinusoidal signal, which incorporated three amplitudes and the fundamental frequencies of three different earthquakes occurred in Colombia. In addition, such frequencies were scaled in a micro shaking table device for 1, 50 and 80 g. Tests allowed identifying the liquefaction susceptibility at various frequency and displacement amplitude combinations. Experimental evidence validated that the liquefaction susceptibility is higher in the fine-grained sands than coarse-grained sands, and showed that the acceleration of the actuator controls the phenomena trigging in the model instead of the displacement amplitude.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.487-506
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• 2023

Looking from the past to the present, the earthquakes can be said to be type of disaster with most casualties among natural disasters. Soil liquefaction, which occurs under repeated loads such as earthquakes, plays a major role in these casualties. In this study, analytical equation models were developed to predict the probability of occurrence of soil liquefaction. In this context, the parameters effective in liquefaction were determined out of 170 data sets taken from the real field conditions of past earthquakes, using WEKA decision tree. Linear, Exponential, Power and Quadratic models have been developed based on the identified earthquake and ground parameters using Krill Herd algorithm. The Exponential model, among the models including the magnitude of the earthquake, fine grain ratio, effective stress, standard penetration test impact number and maximum ground acceleration parameters, gave the most successful results in predicting the fields with and without the occurrence of liquefaction. This proposed model enables the researchers to predict the liquefaction potential of the soil in advance according to different earthquake scenarios. In this context, measures can be realized in regions with the high potential of liquefaction and these measures can significantly reduce the casualties in the event of a new earthquake.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.121-134
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• 2012

The paper presents the results of identification, monotonous and cyclic triaxial tests on a potentially liquefiable soil from the Guadeloupe island. The material is a very soft clayey soil whose susceptibility to liquefaction is not clear when referring to index properties such as grain size distribution, plasticity, etc. The classifications found in the literature indicate that the material has rather a "clay-like" behaviour, i.e., is not very susceptible to liquefaction, but its properties are very close to the threshold values given by the authors. Cyclic triaxial tests carried out on the material under different conditions show that liquefaction is possible for a relatively important level of cyclic deviator or number of cycles. The second part of the paper is devoted to the study of the recovery of the soil after liquefaction and possibly reconsolidation. For the specimens tested without reconsolidation, that simulated the soil immediately after an earthquake, the recovery is nearly non-existent but the drop in pore pressure during extension results in a small available strength. On the contrary, after reconsolidation, the increase in strength of the liquefied specimens is quite large, compared to the initial state, but with unchanged failure envelopes.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.365-379
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• 2020

One of the leading causes for the damage of various underground structures during an earthquake is soil liquefaction, and among this liquefaction-induced uplift of these structures is a major concern. In this study, finite-difference modelling is carried out to study the liquefaction-induced uplift of an underground structure of 5 m diameter (D) with and without the replacement of the in-situ fine sand around the structure with the coarse sand. Soil replacements are carried out by three methods: replacement of soil above the structure, around the structure, and below the structure. The soil behaviour is represented using the elastic-perfectly plastic Mohr-Coulomb model, where the pore pressures were computed using Finn-Byrne formulation. The predicted pore pressure and uplift of the structure due to sinusoidal input motion were validated with the centrifuge tests reported in the literature. Based on numerical studies, an empirical equation is developed for the determination of liquefaction-induced maximum uplift of the underground structure without replacement of the in-situ sand. It is found that the replacement of soil around the structure with 2D width and spacing of D can reduce the maximum uplift by 50%.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2006.04a
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• pp.473-480
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• 2006

Liquefaction of soil foundation is one of the major seismic damage types of infrastructures. In this paper, deterministic and probabilistic approaches for the evaluation of liquefaction potential are briefly summarized and the risk assessment method is newly proposed using seismic fragility and seismic hazard curves. Currently the deterministic approach is widely used to evaluate the liquefaction potential in Korea. However, the there are a certain degree of uncertainties in the soil properties such as elastic modulus and resistant capacity, therefore the probabilistic approach is more promising. Two types of probabilistic approach are introduced including (1) failure probability for a given design earthquake and (2) the seismic risk of liquefaction of soil for a given service life. The results from different methods show a similar trend, and the liquefaction potential can be more quantitatively evaluated using risk analysis method.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.421-438
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• 2016

Explosions inside transportation tunnels might result in failure of tunnel structures. This study investigated the failure mechanisms of circular cast-iron tunnels in saturated soil subjected to medium internal blast loading. This issue is crucial to tunnel safety as many transportation tunnels run through saturated soils. At the same time blast loading on saturated soils may induce residual excess pore pressure, which may result in soil liquefaction. A series of numerical simulations were carried out using Finite Element program LS-DYNA. The effect of soil liquefaction was simulated by the Federal Highway soil model. It was found that the failure modes of tunnel lining were differed with different levels of blast loading. The damage and failure of the tunnel lining was progressive in nature and they occurred mainly during lining vibration when the main event of blast loading was over. Soil liquefaction may lead to more severe failure of tunnel lining. Soil deformation and soil liquefaction were determined by the coupling effects of lining damage, lining vibration, and blast loading. The damage of tunnel lining was a result of internal blast loading as well as dynamic interaction between tunnel lining and saturated soil, and stress concentration induced by a ventilation shaft connected to the tunnel might result in more severe lining damage.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 1999.03a
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• pp.431-438
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• 1999

An assessment of liquefaction potential is made in principle by comparing the shear stress induced by earthquake to the liquefaction strength of the soil. In this study, a modified method based on Seed and Idriss theory is developed for evaluating liquefaction potential. The shear stress in the ground can be evaluated with seismic response analysis and the liquefaction strength of the soil can be investigated by using cyclic triaxial tests. The cyclic triaxial tests are conducted in two different conditions in order to investigate the factors affecting liquefaction strength such as cyclic shear stress amplitude and relative density. And performance of the modified method in practical examples is demonstrated by applying it to liquefaction analysis of artificial zones with dimensions and material properties similar to those in a typical field. From the result, the modified method for assessing liquefaction potential can successfully evaluate the safety factor under moderate magnitude(M=6.5) of earthquake.