Probabilistic Liquefaction Potential Evaluation for India and Adjoining Areas: Fid-Bau Portal

Probabilistic Liquefaction Potential Evaluation for India and Adjoining Areas

Kolathayar, Sreevalsa / Sitharam, T. G. / Vipin, K. S.

Abstract Earthquakes are known to have occurred in India from ancient times. More than 50 % of the country is vulnerable to earthquakes and it has a coastline of 7,517 km, which implies towards high risk of seismic hazards like liquefaction. Seismic liquefaction is the process by which saturated, unconsolidated soil or sand is converted into a suspension during an earthquake and its effect on structures and buildings can be devastating. In the present study, an attempt has been made to predict the liquefaction susceptibility of India based on corrected SPT values required to prevent the liquefaction for given return periods. The evaluation of liquefaction potential requires the calculation of two parameters, seismic loading and the soil resistance. In order to consider the worst scenario for liquefaction, the water table was assumed at the ground surface. In most of the studies, the seismic loading will be evaluated based on probabilistic methods and the evaluation of soil resistance will be done based on deterministic analysis. In this study an attempt was made to predict the corrected SPT values required to prevent the liquefaction, using probabilistic performance based approach. The contour curves showing the spatial variation of SPT values required to prevent the liquefaction at 3 m depth, for return periods of 475 and 2,500 years are presented in the paper.