Centrifuge modeling of liquefaction in layered silty sand deposits

Soil liquefaction or excess pore water pressure buildup reduces a soil’s stiffness and strength and can result in significant damages during earthquake shaking. The current state of practice on liquefaction evaluation techniques relies mainly on simplified empirical procedures based on case observations and free-field laboratory testing which have been widely limited to clean sands (zero fines). In this study, an investigation of the seismic response of layered saturated silty sand deposits is conducted by performing a series of dynamic geotechnical centrifuge experiments. The influence of fine-grained particles and layering on the material’s behavior are evaluated in both free-field and soil-structure interaction (SSI) model conditions. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first application of centrifuge modeling on these liquefiable deposits. This project provides an important opportunity to study this material’s complex dynamic behavior by using an advanced testing program that will address the existing gaps in the literature.

Faculty Supervisor:

Samuel Yniesta

Student:

Partner:

University of Colorado Boulder

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Environmental Science and Technology

University:

Polytechnique Montréal

Program: