Probabilistic Procedure for Evaluating the Liquefaction Potential of Cohesionless Soil Using Standard Penetration Test

The simplified method of liquefaction assessment using standard penetration test blowcount involves associated inherent uncertainties. The liquefaction triggering assessment considering the uncertainties in input parameters is seldom reported. This paper presents a reliability-based procedure for assessing the vulnerability of non-cohesive soil for liquefaction in a probabilistic framework. The simplified method is used for setting up the deterministic model required for the probabilistic assessment. The Monte Carlo simulation using Latin hypercube sampling is used to evaluate the probability of liquefaction. The sensitivity analyses on random variables and coefficient of variation of random variables are carried out to identify the parameters whose uncertainty have the significant influence on both the safety factor against liquefaction and the probability of liquefaction. The key takeaway is that the probabilities of liquefaction provide a deeper understanding of the susceptibility of non-cohesive soil to liquefy when compared to the safety factor derived from deterministic analyses.