Effect of Soil-Type and Fines Content on Liquefaction Resistance—Shear-Wave Velocity Correlation

ABSTRACT

Direct measurement of shear-wave velocity, V_s, in the field to evaluate the liquefaction resistance of soils is an alternative or complement approach to penetration-based methods. However, the existing liquefaction assessment methods established on the V_s have uncertainties about how the fines content and soil-type change the relationship between V_s and liquefaction resistance. The first part of this paper discusses the existence of fines on the correlation between cone penetration resistance and V_s. The second part focuses on the liquefaction resistance that is construed over again using the simplified cone penetration test (CPT)-based liquefaction screening procedure in terms of V_s for three distinct ranges of non-/low plastic fines content <35% fines. The outcomes of the investigation indicate that for each fines content, the correlation between CRR and V_s1 is not unique; there is a significant scattering of the curves for different soil types. Finally, using the results of this investigation as well as the simplified CPT-based liquefaction screening method, a soil-type specific CRR–V_s1 relationship developed for the unbounded, very young (Holocene-age) soils.

KEYWORDS:

• Liquefaction resistance
• shear-wave velocity
• sand with fines
• CPT-based soil type
• cone penetration resistance

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey-TUBITAK [grant number 110M602] and European Union Commission, 7th framework program Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship [grant number PIRG05-GA-2009-248218].