LIQUEFACTION OF SOIL

SUBMITTED BY
S PRABHAKARAN
17MC 68
WHAT IS SOIL LIQUEFACTION:-

■ Liquefaction is the phenomenon when there is loss of strength in saturated and

cohesion-less soil because of increased pore water pressures and hence effective
stress is reduce due to dynamic loading.
■ During liquefaction the water pressure become high enough to counteract the
gravitational pull on the soil particles and effectively float or suspend the particles.
■ Then soil particle move freely with respect to each other due to this the strength of
soil decreases and the ability of a soil deposit to support foundations for buildings
and bridge is reduce.
SOIL BEFORE LIQUEFACTION SOIL AFTER LIQUEFACTION

Loosely packed grains of soil Shaking destabilizes the soil by

are held together by friction. increasing the space between
Pore spaces filled with water. grains and soil flow like a liquid.
TYPES OF LIQUEFACTION:-
■ FLOW LIQUEFACTION:-
Flow liquefaction is a phenomenon in which the static equilibrium is destroyed
by static or dynamic loads in a soil deposit with low residual strength. It occurs when
the static shear stresses in the soil exceed the shear strength of the liquefied soil.
■ CYCLIC MOBILITY:-
Cyclic mobility is a liquefaction phenomenon, triggered by cyclic loading,
occurring in soil deposits with static shear stresses lower than the soil strength.
Deformation due to cyclic mobility develop incrementally because of static and
dynamic stresses that exist during an earthquake.
CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING SOILS
SUSCEPTIBLE TO LIQUEFACTION
■ HISTORICAL CRITERIAL:-
Observations from earlier earthquakes provide a great deal of information
about the liquefaction susceptibility of certain types of soils and sites.
Soils that have liquefied in the past can liquefy again in future earthquakes.
■ COMPOSITION CRITERIA:-
Soils composed of particles that are all about the same size are more
susceptible to liquefaction than soils with a wide range of particle sizes.
Soil deposits with rounded particles.
■ GEOLOGICAL CRITERIA:-
Saturated soil deposits that have been created by sedimentation in rivers and lakes.
Deposits formed by wind action.
Deposition of debris or eroded material.
■ STATE CRITERIA:-
The initial "state" of a soil is defined by its density and effective stress at the time it is
subjected to rapid loading. At a given effective stress level, looser soils are more susceptible to
liquefaction than dense soils. For a given density, soils at high effective stresses are generally
more susceptible to liquefaction than soils at low effective stresses. At constant confining
pressure, the liquefaction resistance increases with the relative density, and at constant
relative density, the liquefaction resistance increases with increasing confining pressure. The
higher the initial shear stresses, the greater is the liquefaction potential and the smaller
disturbance is needed to liquefy the soil.
EFFECTS OF LIQUEFACTION:-
■ LOSS OF BEARING STRENGTH:-
The ground can liquefy and lose its ability to support structure.
■ LATERAL SPREADING:-
The ground can slide down very gentle slopes. It is mainly caused by cyclic mobility.
Lateral spreading causes damage to foundations of buildings, pipelines, railway lines and
cause shaking at pile due to increased lateral loads.
■ SAND BOIL:-
Sand-laden water can be ejected from a buried liquefied layer and erupt at the
surface to form sand volcanoes. The surrounding ground often fractures and settles.
SAND BOIL FLOW FAILURE
■ FLOW FAILURES:-
Flow failures are the most catastrophic ground failures caused by liquefaction.
These failures commonly displace large masses of soil laterally. Flows develop in loose
saturated sands or silts on relatively steep slopes.
■ GROUND OSCILLATION:-
Where the ground is flat or the slope is too gentle to allow lateral displacement,
liquefaction at depth may decouple overlying soil layers from the underlying ground,
allowing the upper soil to oscillate back and forth and up and down in the form of ground
waves. These oscillations are usually accompanied by opening and closing of fissures
fracture of rigid structures such as pavements and pipelines.
■ FLOTATION:-
Light structure that are buried in the ground(like pipeline sewers and nearly
empty fuel tanks) can float to the surface when they are surrounded by liquefied soil.
■ SETTLEMENT:-
Liquefied ground reconsolidates during an earthquake, the ground surface may
settle and the underlying liquefied soil become more dense.
METHODS TO REDUCE LIQUEFACTION:-
■ AVOID LIQUEFACTION-SUSCEPTIBLE SOIL:-
The first possibility is to avoid construction on liquefaction susceptible soil.
■ BUILD LIQUEFACTION-RESISTANT STRUCTURES:-
It may be possible to make the structure liquefaction resistant by designing the
foundation elements to resist the effects of liquefaction . Structure that possesses
ductility, has the ability to accommodate large deformations, adjustable supports for
correction of differential settlements.
■ SHALLOW FOUNDATION ASPECTS:-
It is important that all foundation elements in a shallow foundation are tied
together to make the foundation move or settle uniformly, thus decreases the amount of
shear force induced in the structural elements resting upon the foundation.
A stiff foundation mat is a good type of shallow foundation. Which can transfer
loads form locally liquefied zone to adjacent stronger ground.
■ DEEP FOUNDATION ASPECT:-
Liquefaction can cause large lateral
loads on pile foundations. Piles driven through
a weak, potentially Soil layer to a stronger
layer not only have to carry vertical loads form
the superstructure, but must also be able to
resist horizontal loads and bending moments
induced by lateral movements if the weak
layer liquefies. Piles of larger dimensions
and/or more reinforcement can achieve
sufficient resistance.
SOIL IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES
AGAINST LIQUEFACTION:-
■ The main objective of soil improvement techniques used for reducing liquefaction
hazards is to large increases in pore water pressure during earthquake shaking by
improving the strength, density, and drainage characteristics of soil.

I. Vibro-compaction
II. Dynamic compaction
III. Compaction grouting
IV. Stone column
■ VIBRO-COMPACTION:-
Vibro-compaction involves the use of a
vibrating prone that can penetrate granular soil to
depths of over 100 feet. The vibration of the probe
cause the grain structure to collapse thereby
densifying the soil surrounding the probe.

■ DYNAMIC COMPACTION:
Densification by dynamic compaction is
performed by dropping a heavy weight of steel or
concrete in a grid pattern form heights of 30 to 100
feet.
■ COMPACTION GROUTING:-
Compaction grouting is a technique whereby a
slow-flowing water/sand/cement mix is injected into loose
sand under high pressure. Gout does not enter soil but
forms a bulb that compact and densify the soil by forcing it
to occupy less space.

■ STONE COLUMN:-
Stone columns are columns of gravel constructed
in the ground. Stone columns can be constructed by the
vibro-compation method. In this approach the steel casing
is driven into the soil and gravel is filled in from the top and
tamped with a drop hammer as the steel is successively
withdrawn.
CONCLUSION:-
■ It can clearly be concluded that the ill effects caused by liquefaction have
devastating damages to structures built on liquefied soils.
■ Hence the various methods in which the severity of damage as a result of
liquefaction can be reduced the behaviour of soils under the influence of
loading forces and soil water interactions
REFERENCE:-
■ International Journal of Advanced Research in Basic Engineering Sciences and Technology
(IJARBEST)
■ Parametric Study on Liquefaction of Aleru River Sand, G. S. Kalyani, Assistant Professor,
Department of Civil Engineering., CMR Institute of Technology, Medchal, Telangana (India).
■ Youd, T. L., and Hoose, S. N. (1978). "Historic ground failures in northern California
triggered by earthquakes." U.S. Geological Survey professional paper 993.
■ Liquefaction and Deformation of Soils and Foundations Under Seismic Conditions,
Ricardo Dobry Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York.
THANK YOU.,