Author(s)

S. Mittal & M. K. Gupta

Abstract

Many previous works have attempted to predict the occurrence of liquefaction in the field. A comprehensive work has been done on small samples under triaxial and simple shear conditions. A few investigations have been done on large size samples and also on vibration tables. In the present study, the large size sample tests have been conducted in field and the prediction of liquefaction occurrence has been studied. To study the effect of side wall on the test specimen in large size samples, some tests have been conducted in a field pit also. A case study has also been discussed that how the bridge survived seismic shocks at the time of actual occurrence of earthquake the foundation of which was designed based on the suggested measures discussed in this paper. Keywords: liquefaction, progressive failure, potential evaluation, embankment design, vibration table, shake table. 1 Introduction If soil is saturated at the instant of collapse, the weight of soil particles is temporarily transferred from the points of contact with their neighbours into the water (Terzaghi and Peck [13]). Dynamic triaxial and simple shear tests on small sample were conducted in USA, Japan and U.K. (Castro [2]), while large size sample tests (vibration table studies) were carried out in India and USSR (Gupta and Prakash [7]). Cyclic loading triaxial compression tests on small sample and also vibration table tests on large size sample have thrown considerable light on the factors inducing liquefaction of saturated sands and both provide methods to predict liquefaction potential which uses data obtained in these tests (Gupta [5]). But the results are affected by the method of test and test equipment used and also on method of analysis. Hence no uniform agreement could be achieved till today. Seed and Idriss [11, 12] have also

Keywords

liquefaction, progressive failure, potential evaluation, embankment design, vibration table, shake table.