Experimental analysis of liquefaction potential with variations of soil relative density and earthquake frequency

Abstract

The resistance of sandy soil against liquefaction is influenced by its grain size and relative density. This study investigates the potential for liquefaction and settlement resulting from liquefaction. A single axis shaking table was employed, with a displacement of 2.5 cm and a box measuring 400 mm long, 400 mm wide and 600 mm height. Various relative soil densities were evaluated, namely 40%, 50%, 60%, and 70%, along with 1 Hz and 1.2 Hz seismic frequency variations. The experiment used three pore pressure transmitter sensors to measure the increase in pore water pressure (top, middle, and bottom), accelerometer sensors to measure acceleration, and settlement measurements at 12 points. The experimental findings prove a correlation between the relative density of the soil and its liquefaction potential. Increasing the relative density of the soil results in a decrease in settlement, ranging from a maximum settlement of 2.93 cm to a minimum settlement of 1.77 cm. Concerning the variation in earthquake frequencies, higher frequencies correspond to increased soil settlement, showing a difference of 15% to 33%. This study highlights the significance of earthquake frequencies and relative soil density in assessing the potential for soil liquefaction.