EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING RESEARCH INSTITUTE

COMMITTEE ON TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

PHYSICS OF LIQUEFACTION AND

EXAMPLES OF DAMAGE

ASSAM, INDIA EARTHQUAKE

June 12, 1897

LIQUEFACTION :
SANDY
SANDY SOIL
SOIL BENEATH
BENEATH
THE
THE GROUND
GROUND WATER
WATER
ACTS
ACTS TEMPORARILY
TEMPORARILY
LIKE
LIKE A
A LIQUID
LIQUID WHEN
WHEN
SUBJECTED
SUBJECTED TO
TO
EARTHQUAKE
EARTHQUAKE GROUND
GROUND SHAKING
SHAKING
From: India Geological Survey

SAND BOILS

LIQUEFIED SAND

SHEAR DEFORMATION

WESTMORLAND, CALIFORNIA
EARTHQUAKE 1981

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

EARTHQUAKE
August 31, 1886

OCTOBER 12, 1992,

DAHSHOUR, EGYPT
EARTHQUAKE

SAND BOILS
MARKED TREE, AR

MAP SHOWING AERIAL DISTRIBUTION OF SAND BOILS FROM 1811-1812 NEW MADRID
EARTHQUAKES

Upland Areas
Alluvium
Alluvium with recognizable sand blow deposits but
not intense ground coverage
Alluvium with more than 25 percent of the ground
surface covered by sand blow deposits

PALEOLIQUEFACTION STUDIES

LATERAL SPREAD

Initial Section

Deformed Section

PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND, ALASKA

EARTHQUAKE
March 27, 1964

LOMA PRIETA, CALIFORNIA

EARTHQUAKE
October 17, 1989

GROUND OSCILLATION

INITIAL SECTION

LIQUIFIED

LOMA PRIETA,
CALIFORNIA
EARTHQUAKE
October 17, 1989

Initial Section

FLOW FAILURE

Failed Slope

SAN FERNANDO,
CALIFORNIA
EARTHQUAKE
February 9, 1971

PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND, ALASKA

EARTHQUAKE
1964

From: K . V. Steinbrugge

EARTHQUAKE
April 18, 1906

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

LOSS OF BEARING
STRENGTH

Upward Flow of Water

NIIGATA, JAPAN EARTHQUAKE 1964

From: K . V. Steinbrugge

PHILIPPINES EARTQUAKE
JULY 16, 1990

EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING RESEARCH INSTITUTE

COMMITTEE ON TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

LIQUEFACTION MITIGATION
GROUND IMPROVEMENT

LIQUEFACTION MITIGATION
Ground Improvement
Ground Improvement is
The in-place modification of liquefiable
deposits to meet non-liquefiable criteria
for the design earthquakes

Liquefaction Mitigation
Key Construction Techniques
Densification

Vibro Systems
Dynamic Deep Compaction
Compaction Grouting
Soil Fracture Grouting

Hardening
Chemical Grouting
Soil Mixing
Removal/Replacement
Jet Grouting
Excavation & Replacement

Liquefaction Mitigation
Densification

Vibro Systems
Landing Grate
For Stone Skip

Stone Chamber
Hopper
Pressurized
Stone Chamber

S Type
Vibrator

Stone Tube

Stone Discharge

Densifies by
Vibration
Displacement
Other Benefits
Reinforcement
Pore Pressure Dissipation

THE VIBRATOR END

USED TO CONSTRUCT
STONE COLUMNS

VIBRATOR RIGS
CONSTRUCTING
STONE COLUMNS AT
RICHMOND BAY,
CALIFORNIA

Liquefaction Mitigation
Methods of Improvement

Drainage
Water

Liquefaction Mitigation
Construction Techniques

Dynamic Deep
Compaction
Densifies by
Compression
Vibration

A CRANE IS SHOWN
JUST BEFORE
DROPPING THE HEAVY
LOAD FOR THE
DYNAMIC COMPACTION

THE APPLICATION OF
DYNAMIC DEEP
COMPACTION IS
SHOWN AT A SITE IN
AVENAL, CALIFORNIA

Liquefaction Mitigation
Densification

Compaction
Grouting
Densifies by
Displacement

INSTALLATION OF
GROUT PIPE AT A SITE

COMPACTION GROUTING IN
PROGRESS FROM WITHIN AN
8-FOOT DIAMETER TUNNEL
EXCAVATION

GROUT
BULB
CREATED
DURING
COMPACTION
GROUTING

Liquefaction Mitigation
Hardening

Chemical Grouting
Permeability Reduction
Stiffens Soil

CHEMICAL INJECTION SYSTEM

APPLICATION

Liquefaction Mitigation
Hardening

Soil Mixing
Auger Drilling
Lime/Cement Mixing

Liquefaction Mitigation
Removal & Replacement

Jet Grouting
Jet Removal
Soilcrete Mass

COLUMNS OF SOIL BELOW AN

EXISTING BUILDING TREATED
BY JET GROUTING

PREFERRED GROUND IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES

SAND

SILT

CLAY

VIBROCOMPACTION
BLASTING
CHEMICAL GROUTING
COMPACTION GROUTING
DYNAMIC DEEP COMPACTION
SOIL MIXING
JET GROUTING
10

1.0

0.01

PARTICLE SIZE (mm)

0.001

0.0001

Liquefaction Mitigation
Verification Testing

Cone Tip Resistance, qc

Post-Treatment
Profile

Cone Penetration Testing

Depth

Other Methods

PreTreatment
Criteria

Liquefaction
Criteria

Standard Penetration Testing

Becker Hammer