A modified state parameter for identifying flow liquefaction in aeolian sand Available to Purchase

Static liquefaction is when sandy soils lose shear strength and deform rapidly under undrained shearing. This phenomenon has three undrained responses: flow, limited flow, and non-flow (not liquefied). Among them, flow is the most dangerous, marked by complete strength loss and significant deformation. Thus, recognising flow liquefaction is crucial in interpreting liquefaction behaviours. Aeolian sand, which has low fine content, non-cohesion, and poor size distribution, was found to be highly liquefiable and hence was used to explore the liquefaction characteristics by way of undrained triaxial tests with different initial stresses and void ratios. The experimental results showed an obvious effect of stress on the flow behaviour of liquefaction in aeolian sand. A modified state parameter corrected by critical mean effective stress and void ratio was introduced to consider the stress effect. It was proved to identify the flow behaviour on aeolian sand successfully, based on the value of the modified state parameter. A state-dependent hardening plasticity model, incorporating the modified state parameter, was introduced. This model effectively simulates undrained triaxial tests on aeolian sand, accurately capturing all behaviour types: flow, limited flow, and non-flow responses.