Examining the seismic behaviour of partially saturated sand using centrifuge shaking table tests

Abstract

Similar to fully saturated sand, the partially saturated sand can also liquefy under certain conditions during earthquakes. This study aims to characterize the seismic behaviour of partially saturated sand. Centrifuge shaking table tests were performed using the IWHR horizontal-vertical centrifuge shaker. The experimental results indicate that the liquefaction resistance of the partially saturated sand increases with decreasing the degree of saturation and with increasing the initial effective stress right before shaking. The boundary between the liquefied and un-liquefied sand becomes deeper and deeper during shaking.