SITE INVESTIGATION STUDY OF PLTG/MG/GU SORONG – 2 (50 MW)

CHAPTER 9
LIQUEFACTION

9.1. GENERAL
Liquefaction is a phenomenon of loss of strength of the soil layer due to
vibration. The vibration which referred is a vibration that can be derived from the
earthquake as well as from the other fast load. When the vibrations occurred, the
nature of the soil layer becomes like a liquid that could not sustain the load of building
inside or on it.
Liquefaction usually occurs in water-saturated soil, where all the cavities of the
land was filled with water. At the time of having a vibration, water provides a pressure
on the soil particles that affect the density of the soil. Before the earthquake, the water
pressure at a ground are relatively low. But after receiving the vibration, the water
pressure in the soil increased, so that the particles can move ground particle with ease.
After having driven by the water, the soil particles do not have any more
strength or carrying capacity, so that the carrying capacity of the land is fully derived
from pore water pressure. In this condition, the soil become a liquid form that no longer
has the stability, so that the burden of load on the ground that there is such a load of
the building structure will ambles into the soil. Otherwise, the tank which located in
the ground will float and rise to the soil surface.
The most frequent ground vibration which triggers an increase of pore water
pressure is derived from earthquake vibration of the earth, but activities related to
construction such as blasting may also cause an increase in the pore water pressure.

9.2. TERMS OF OCCURRENCE OF LIQUEFACTION

Liquefaction can only occur under certain conditions, if the land does not meet
these requirements, then there is no liquefaction potential. Therefore, planners should
avoid the lands that have been meet terms of the occurrence of liquefaction.
The second condition is that the water sources is a shallow, for example, a depth
is only 2 to 4 meters below ground level. Liquefaction in the areas mentioned above
would happen if an earthquake with a power reaches MMI (modified mercally intensity)
VI. MMI measures the strength of the quake based on the impact, with the scale range
is from I to XXI. MMI scale classification can be seen in table 2.1:

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 SITE INVESTIGATION STUDY OF PLTG/MG/GU SORONG – 2 (50 MW)

Table 9.1. The correlation between the local magnitude (ML), Earthquake
acceleration (a max), Time of the earthquake, and the MMI intensity scale
According to Yaets et al, Gere and Shah and Housner
Local Earthquake Earthquake MMI
Magnitude Acceleration Time Intensity
(ML) (a max) (second) Scale
≤2 - - I-II
3 - - III
4 - - IV - V
5 0.09 g 2 VI - VII
6 0.22 g 12 VII - VIII
7 0.32 g 24 IX - X
≥8 ≥ 0.50 g ≥ 34 XI - XII

On a scale of MMI I, vibration is not recommended, except in exceptional

circumstances by some people. XXII MMI occurs when the buildings were completely
destroyed by earthquake. In this condition, the waves appear on the surface of the soil,
the landscape becomes darker and objects thrown into the air.
Liquefaction can occur at MMI VI example in 1883, when the Krakatoa volcano
erupted, Jakarta experienced an earthquake MMI VI. At that time many buildings were
destroyed. A number of land also subsidence. In general it can be concluded that the
terms of the occurrence of liquefaction in an area are:
 a layer of sand or silt soil,
 a layer of water-saturated soil,
 a layer of soil is loose (not solid)
 an earthquake magnitude above 5.0 and,
 speed earthquake more than 0.1g.

9.3. THE PROCESS OF LIQUEFACTION

To experience the process of liquefaction, we need to understand in advance
that a precipitate soil composed of particles - particles. If we notice any particles are
located close together, so that each particle has contact with other particles (Figure
5.15) . With the contact between the particles, the soil becomes to have a strength to
carry the load thereon, since this condition makes the burden is on the ground will be

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 SITE INVESTIGATION STUDY OF PLTG/MG/GU SORONG – 2 (50 MW)

carried simultaneously by the entire particle. And ultimately the burden will be
channeled into a layer of bedrock at the bottom of the soil layer of soil.

Figure 9.1. The condition of the soil particles when normal (before the increase
of pore water pressure)

On the ground conditions like Figure 5.15 appears that many cavities between
the soil particles are filled with water. At nomal conditions, the water has a pore water
pressure is relatively low. On receipt of the pressure of the sudden vibrations, the water
will be pressed proficiency level so that it will raise the pressure to find a way out.
However, at the time of occurrence of an earthquake, the water does not have enough
time to dissipate out of the ground through the cavities in the soil.

Figure 9.2. The condition of the soil particles while experiencing the vibration (
when the increase in pore water pressure )

In these conditions, most of the burden borne by water. So loadbearing on the

ground, the ship will sink into the water. If the water can not carry the burden of the
ship, the ship will sink into the water. This happens also on the load of the building on

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 SITE INVESTIGATION STUDY OF PLTG/MG/GU SORONG – 2 (50 MW)

land that suffered liquefaction, then the building will sink into the ground. In a more
extreme events anymore, pore pressure can be so high that many more particles are
pushed so that there is no longer related. In such cases, the strength of the land will be
very small and will act more like a liquid than a solid.

9.4. Cyclic stress ratio

CSR is the value ratio between the average sliding caused by the earthquake
with effective vertical stress of each layer. CSR values in a layer of soil is strongly
influenced by the value of seismic acceleration (a)

Where:
amax = Maximum acceleration at ground level
g = Acceleration of gravity
’v = effective vertical stress
v = total vertical stress
rd = reduction factor against stress

9.5. DETERMINATION THE VALUE OF CRR

Determine the value CRR the magnitude (Mw) 7.5 earthquake scale and pure
sand with (N1)60cs < 37,5 (Youd, T.L. and Idriss, 2001). If (N1)60cs then the soil should
not be evaluated because of the value that is prone to liquefaction when (N1)60cs <
37,5. If (N1)60cs > 37,5then the soil withstand seismic soil that can be represented by
the value CRR

Where:

9.6. LIQUEFACTION ANALYSIS

The following is the calculation of liquefaction by using the SPT method at the
point BH-01, BH-02, and BH-03.

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 SITE INVESTIGATION STUDY OF PLTG/MG/GU SORONG – 2 (50 MW)

Table 9.2. Liquefaction Calculation at BH-01

Table 9.3. Liquefaction Calculation at BH-02

Table 9.4. Liquefaction Calculation at BH-03

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 SITE INVESTIGATION STUDY OF PLTG/MG/GU SORONG – 2 (50 MW)

Conclusion: The SPT analysis concludes that the site has potential liquefaction at the
depth 0-4,5 meters.

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 SITE INVESTIGATION STUDY OF PLTG/MG/GU SORONG – 2 (50 MW)

9.1. GENERAL ........................................................................................................................................ 1

9.2. TERMS OF OCCURRENCE OF LIQUEFACTION ....................................................................... 1
9.3. THE PROCESS OF LIQUEFACTION ............................................................................................ 2
9.4. Cyclic stress ratio .............................................................................................................................. 4
9.5. DETERMINATION THE VALUE OF CRR ................................................................................... 4
9.6. LIQUEFACTION ANALYSIS......................................................................................................... 4

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