• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
• /
• v.24 no.5
• /
• pp.197-209
• /
• 2020

Evidence of liquefaction during the 2017 Pohang earthquake has highlighted the urgent need to evaluate the current seismic design standard for liquefaction in Korea, particularly the liquefaction triggering standard. With the simplified method, which is the most popular method for evaluating liquefaction triggering, the factor of safety for liquefaction triggering is calculated via the cyclic stress ratio (CSR) and the cyclic resistance ratio (CRR). The parameters in the CSR and CRR have undergone changes over time based on new research findings and lessons learned from liquefaction case-histories. Hence, the current design standard for liquefaction triggering evaluation in Korea should also reflect these changes to achieve seismic safety during future earthquakes. In this study, liquefaction susceptibility criteria were discussed initially and this was followed by a review of the current liquefaction triggering codes/guidelines in other countries and Korea. Next, the parameters associated with the CSR such as the maximum ground acceleration, stress reduction factor, magnitude scaling factor, and overburden correction factor were discussed in detail. Then, the evaluation of the CRR using the SPT N-value and CPT qc-value was elaborated along with overburden and clean-sand correction factors. Based on this review of liquefaction triggering evaluation standards, recommendations are made for improving the current seismic design standard related to liquefaction triggering in Korea.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.27-41
• /
• 2023

This study focused on nonlinear effective stress site response analysis using two coupled constitutive models, that is, the DM model (Dafalias and Manzari 2004), which incorporated a simple plasticity sand model accounting for fabric change effects, and the PMDY03 model (Khosravifar et al. 2018), that is, a 3D model for earthquake-induced liquefaction triggering and postliquefaction response. A detailed parametric study was conducted to validate the effectiveness of nonlinear site response analysis and porewater pressure (PWP) generation through a true coupled formulation for assessing the initiation of liquefaction at ground level. The coupled models demonstrated accurate prediction of liquefaction triggering, which was in line with established empirical liquefaction triggering relations in published databases. Several limitations were identified in the evaluation of liquefaction using the cyclic stress method, despite its widespread implementation for calculating liquefaction triggering. Variations in shear stiffness, represented by changes in shear wave velocity (Vs1), exerted the most significant influence on site response. The study further indicated that substantial differences in response spectra between nonlinear total stress and nonlinear effective stress analyses primarily occurred when liquefaction was triggered or on the verge of being triggered, as shown by excess PWP ratios approaching unity. These differences diminished when liquefaction occurred towards the later stages of intense shaking. The soil response was predominantly influenced by the higher stiffness values present prior to liquefaction. A key contribution of this study was to validate the criteria used to assess the triggering of level-ground liquefaction using true coupled effective-stress constitutive models, while also confirming the reliability of numerical approximations including the PDMY03 and DM models. These models effectively captured the principal characteristics of liquefaction observed in field tests and laboratory experiments.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.36 no.10
• /
• pp.57-71
• /
• 2020

Liquefaction-induced sand boils were observed during the Pohang earthquake (Moment magnitude, 5.4) on November 15, 2017, specifically in the region of agricultural fields and park areas near the epicenter. This was recorded as the first observed liquefaction phenomenon in Korea. This paper analyzes liquefaction potentials at the key sites at Pohang area. The simplified methods and current design standard were used to evaluate the occurrence of liquefaction. The seismic demand was estimated based on the NGA-WEST2 ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs). The liquefaction resistance of the ground was determined using the in-situ tests: standard penetration test (SPT) and cone penetration test (CPT). The liquefaction potentials were quantified by liquefaction potential index (LPI), which were compared with those from the previous studies.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.221-230
• /
• 2023

This study proposes a methodology for assessing seismic liquefaction hazard by implementing high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) ground models with high-density/high-precision site investigation data acquired in an area of interest, which would be linked to geotechnical numerical analysis tools. It is possible to estimate the vulnerability of earthquake-induced geotechnical phenomena (ground motion amplification, liquefaction, landslide, etc.) and their triggering complex disasters across an area for urban development with several stages of high-density datasets. In this study, the spatial-ground models for city development were built with a 3D high-precision grid of 5 m × 5 m × 1 m by applying geostatistic methods. Finally, after comparing each prediction error, the geotechnical model from the Gaussian sequential simulation is selected to assess earthquake-induced geotechnical hazards. In particular, with seven independent input earthquake motions, liquefaction analysis with finite element analyses and hazard mappings with LPI and LSN are performed reliably based on the spatial geotechnical models in the study area. Furthermore, various phenomena and parameters, including settlement in the city planning area, are assessed in terms of geotechnical vulnerability also based on the high-resolution spatial-ground modeling. This case study on the high-precision 3D ground model-based zonations in the area of interest verifies the usefulness in assessing spatially earthquake-induced hazards and geotechnical vulnerability and their decision-making support.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.25-34
• /
• 2006

In this study an effective stress numerical procedure is used to assess the results of dynamic centrifuge tests under high effective stress. The centrifuge models consist of loose Nevada sand with an initial vertical effective stress of 380kPa at depth, and they are modeled as a one-dimentional soil column. Liquefaction occurred up to 37m or 22m at depth, and the onset of liquefaction triggering was opposite to the conventional liquefaction evaluation procedure. In other words, liquefaction occurs first at the top and propagates downward as shaking continues. The results observed in centrifuge tests are reasonably predicted by the effective stress model. It is noted that the degree of initial saturation and additional densification at depth arising from the application of the high acceleration field play a key role in capturing the results of dynamic centrifuge tests.

• Journal of Korean Society of Disaster and Security
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.29-35
• /
• 2018

This study is an experimental comparison on the fact that the sinusoidal load, which has been used so far in the laboratory cyclic test, which is an important part of the liquefaction triggering study, is somewhat different from the phenomenon that causes the soil liquefaction during the earthquake loading. To this end, this study proposes a new type of combined sinusoidal load and compares it with experimental results to load the conventional sine wave. In the comparison, the shaking table tests were carried out and the sample in the tests was remolded with the relative density of 40%, which is a condition where liquefaction is easy to occur. Firstly, the conventional cyclic test was carried out under the condition that with the amplitude of sine wave was 0.3 g. Additionally, 3 types of tests were performed using the combination loads made up with 0.03 g sinusoidal load and 0.3g sinusoidal load. At that time, the loading time for the first sinusoidal load were changed with 5 seconds, 10 seconds, and 15 seconds. As a result, the test with the conventional sine wave and the test with the first sinusoidal loading for 5 seconds showed that the change of the pore water pressure gradually increased. But in the tests with the combined sinusoidal load which changed the first sinusoidal loading time with 10 and 15 seconds, it was found that the pore water pressure suddenly rose at a certain instant and liquefaction occurs. From the experimental comparison, it is judged that it is appropriate that the time of the first sine wave is over 10 seconds at the proposed combined load for the soil condition with relative density 40%.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.28 no.10
• /
• pp.5-16
• /
• 2012

Geotechnical buried structures with relatively light weight have been suffering from uplift damage due to liquefaction in the past earthquakes. The factor of safety approach by Koseki et al. (1997a), which is widely used in seismic design, predicts the triggering of uplift. However, a method for "quantitative" estimates of the uplift displacement has yet to be established. Estimation of the uplift displacement may be an important factor to be considered for designing underground structures under the framework of performance-based design (ISO23469, 2005). Therefore, evaluation of the uplift displacement of buried structure in liquefied ground during earthquakes is needed for a performance-based design as a practical application. In order to predict the uplift displacement quantitatively, a simplified method is derived based on the equilibrium of vertical forces acting on buried structures in backfill during earthquakes (Tobita et al., 2012). The method is verified through comparisons with results of centrifuge model tests and damaged sewerage systems after the 2004 Niigata-ken Chuetsu, Japan, earthquake. The proposed flow diagram for performance-based design includes estimation of the uplift displacement as well as liquefaction limit of backfill.