Linking cyclic stress and cyclic strain based methods for assessment of cyclic liquefaction triggering in sands Available to Purchase

Contradictory conclusions may arise when assessing liquefaction resistance of sands based on penetration tests and shear wave velocity. To provide a more unified analysis framework, this letter couples cyclic stress and cyclic strain based analysis of liquefaction triggering using site-specific correlations between penetration resistance and small strain shear modulus from shear wave velocity using the seismic cone tests. Cyclic strain theory provides a robust lower limit to liquefaction resistance, and analyses indicate that relatively high ratios of small strain stiffness to penetration resistance lead to high liquefaction resistance at relatively low cyclic stress ratios. The increased resistance to liquefaction from relatively high stiffness values is suspected to break down at higher cyclic stress ratios, where liquefaction resistance is controlled by the potential for soil to dilate, which correlates well with effective stress normalised cone tip resistance. The analysis framework is in general agreement with laboratory and field data that are predominantly Holocene in origin; however further validation by a comprehensive lab testing programme is warranted.