A simple method for evaluating liquefaction potential from shear wave velocity

The simplified procedure using shear wave velocity measurements is increasingly used to evaluate the seismic liquefaction potential of soils. This procedure is based on finding the boundary separating the liquefaction and non-liquefaction cases through the analysis of liquefaction case histories, following the general format of the Seed-Idriss simplified procedure based on standard penetration test (SPT) data. It is noted that many assumptions have been made in the simplified procedure. This paper develops a simple method for evaluating the liquefaction potential of soils from shear wave velocity by using the optimum seeking method to directly analyze the liquefaction history data and quantify the influence of major factors affecting the liquefactions potential of soils. The factors considered are the earthquake magnitude, the vertical effective overburden stress, the shear wave velocity, the peak acceleration at the ground surface of the site, and the fines content of the soil. The most important factor has been identified as the shear wave velocity. The developed method uses the measured data directly and in a very simple way. Neither stress-correction of shear wave velocity nor calculation of cyclic shear stress as in the simplified procedure is required. Comparisons indicate that the developed simple method has a higher success rate for evaluating liquefaction potential of soils than the simplified procedure. A case study is presented to illustrate the application of the developed simple method and further confirms its accuracy. © 2010 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.