A simplified procedure for estimating liquefaction-induced settlement of buildings on shallow foundations

Several case histories have illustrated that liquefaction of soils can produce significant damage to buildings on shallow foundations due to settlement. The estimation of settlement has therefore become a principal target in the engineering evaluation of soil liquefaction where methods have been developed to quantify liquefaction-induced reconsolidation settlement for free-field level-ground deposits, estimation of settlement caused by soil loss due to ejecta, and liquefaction-induced building settlement. These settlement estimates are generally used either as a proxy for the severity of liquefaction-induced damage or as a specific measure to quantify effects of liquefaction on the performance of buildings on shallow foundations. However, the methods do not provide specific guidance how such estimates should be considered in engineering assessment and design, including consideration of uncertainties when interpreting the analysis results. Moreover, these steps require careful interpretation of geotechnical, building, and seismic information, which can become quite involved for everyday engineering practice, perhaps more so than it is worth when applied for the purposes of preliminary design. Hence, the principal objective of this study is to develop a simpler procedure for preliminary design of buildings on shallow foundations that can be used by structural and geotechnical engineers for assessment of liquefaction-induced settlement. The outcomes of this research include two journal papers providing details on the key considerations in developing a series of charts for estimating liquefaction-induced settlement for a building on shallow foundation.

Collaborators:

• Professor Misko Cubrinovski, University of Canterbury

• Professor Jonathan D. Bray, University of California, Berkeley