Hydraulic conductivity plays a significant role in the evolution of liquefaction phenomena induced by seismic loading, influencing the pore water pressure buildup and dissipation, as well as the associated settlement during and after liquefaction. Experimental evidence indicates that hydraulic conductivity varies significantly during and after seismic excitation. However, most previous studies have focused on experimentally capturing soil hydraulic conductivity variations during the post-shaking phase, primarily based on the results at the stage of excess pore water pressure dissipation and consolidation of sand particles after liquefaction. This paper aims to quantify the variation of hydraulic conductivity during liquefaction, covering both the co-seismic and postshaking phases. Adopting a fully coupled solid-fluid formulation (u-p), a new back-analysis methodology is introduced which allows the direct estimation of the hydraulic conductivity of a soil deposit during liquefaction based on centrifuge data or field measurements. Data from eight well-documented free-field dynamic centrifuge tests are then analysed, revealing key characteristics of the variation of hydraulic conductivity during liquefaction. The results show that hydraulic conductivity increases rapidly at the onset of seismic shaking but gradually decreases despite high pore pressures persisting. The depicted trends are explained using the KozenyCarman equation, which highlights the combined effects of seismic shaking-induced agitation, liquefaction, and solidification on soil hydraulic conductivity during the co-seismic and post-shaking phases.
A realistic prediction of excess pore water pressure generation and the onset of liquefaction during earthquakes are crucial when performing effective seismic site response analysis. In the present research, the validation of two pore water pressure (PWP) models, namely energy-based GMP and strain-based VD models implemented in a one-dimensional site response analysis code, was conducted by comparing numerical predictions with highquality seismic centrifuge test measurements. A careful discussion on the selection of input soil parameters for numerical simulations was made with particular emphasis on the PWP model parameter calibration which was based on undrained stress-controlled/strain-controlled cyclic simple shear (CSS) tests carried out on the same sand used in the centrifuge test. The results of the study reveal that the energy-based model predicts at all depths peak pore water pressures and dissipation behaviour in a satisfactory way with respect to experimental measurements, whereas the strain-based model underestimates the PWP measurements at low depths. Further comparisons of the acceleration response spectra illustrate that both the strain- and energy-based models provide higher computed spectral accelerations near the ground surface compared with the recorded ones, whereas the agreement is reasonable at middle depth.
Large-diameter monopiles of offshore wind turbines are subjected to continuous multistage cyclic loads of different types (one-way or two-way) and loading amplitudes over time. The loading history is likely to affect the lateral response during the subsequent loading stage. This paper conducts a systematic study on the lateral response of monopiles with and without reinforcement in multilayer soil. Two groups of monotonic centrifuge tests of monopiles with and without reinforcement are carried out to compare and study the influence of reinforcement on the displacement, bending moment and earth pressure of monopile foundations. Local reinforcement in the shallow layer effectively improved the bearing capacity of the monopile foundation. The ultimate bearing capacity of monopile foundations in monotonic tests provides a load basis for cyclic tests. Four groups of continuous multistage cyclic centrifuge tests of monopiles with and without reinforcement with different cyclic modes and loading amplitudesare carried out to investigate the influence of loading history on the lateral cumulative displacement, unloading secant stiffness and bending moment. Empirical design recommendations for monopiles under continuous multistage cyclic loads with different cyclic modes and loading amplitudes are provided based on the results of the tests.
Loose sandy soil layers are prone to liquefaction under strong earthquakes, causing damage to civil engineering structures inside or upon the liquefied ground. According to the present Japanese design guideline on liquefaction countermeasures for river levees, the entire depth of the liquefiable subsoil below river embankments should be improved. However, this approach is not economical against deep liquefiable subsoil. To rationalize the design approach, this contribution investigated the performance of a floating-type cement treatment method, in which only the shallower part of the liquefiable subsoil is reinforced. A series of centrifuge shaking table model tests was conducted under a 50g environment. The depth of improvement (cement treatment) was varied systematically, and the effect of the sloping ground was examined. The experimental results revealed that the settlements of river embankments can be reduced linearly by increasing the depth of improvement. Moreover, the acceleration of embankments can be reduced drastically by the vibration-isolation effect between the cement-treated soil and the liquefiable soil. These effects contribute to the safe retention of the embankment shape even when the liquefied sloping ground causes lateral flows. Towards practical implementation, discussions on the effect of permeability on cement-treated soil were expanded. Furthermore, the stress acting on cement-treated soil during shaking was measured using an acrylic block to explain the occurrence of cracks in the soil. (c) 2025 Japanese Geotechnical Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Earthquake-induced soil liquefaction causes ground and foundation failures, and it challenges the scientific community to explore the liquefaction problem in deep deposit under strong shaking. Due to the capacity limitation of physical modelling facility, it is difficult to reproduce soil liquefaction response of deep sand ground by centrifuge shaking table test. To address this problem, a suite of centrifuge model tests were conducted with the aid of Iai's Type III generalized scaling law (i.e., GSL) to observe the liquefaction response of deep sand ground, where Models 1 and 2 were used to validate the GSL and Model 3 with the validated GSL stands for the deep sand ground with prototype depth of 80 m. The test results of Models 1 and 2 indicate that GSL generally performs well for small-strain shear modulus, nonlinear dynamic response of acceleration and the generation of excess pore water pressure, but leaves considerable errors for post-shaking dissipation process and ground settlement with large plastic strain. The test results of Model 3 indicate that liquefaction is also possible in depth of 30-40 m under shaking event of PBA = 0.4 g and Mw = 7.5. For deeper depth without triggering of liquefaction, a depthdependent power function relationship between the peak excess pore water pressure and Arias intensity has been established. The test results also revealed that consolidation and earthquake shaking history contribute to the development of soil anisotropy in a deep ground, leading to a continuous increase of anisotropy degree, which could be evaluated using the small-strain shear moduli in different stress planes under orthogonal stress conditions.
Stone columns are a resultful measure to increase the bearing capacity of soft or liquefiable foundations. The centrifuge model test and finite element method were employed to investigate the bearing capacity and deformation behavior of the stone column-reinforced foundation. Study shows that the modulus of the reinforced foundation exhibits significant anisotropy. A bulging deformation area is identified in the reinforced foundation where obvious horizontal deformation of the stone column occurs. The ratio of the column stress and soil stress is observed to change violently in this area. A homogenization technique is consequently deduced by employing the column-soil stress ratio as a key variable. The definition of the column-soil stress ratio is extended to reasonably describe the column-soil interaction under different stress levels and its approximation method is given. Based on the Duncan- Chang E-nu model, a simplified method using the homogenization technique is proposed for the stone column reinforced foundation. The proposed homogenization technique and simplified method have been validated by the centrifuge model tests and finite element analyses. This method properly addresses the nonlinear spatial characteristic of deformation and the anisotropy of the stone column reinforced foundation.
This article introduces a novel system identification technique for determining the bulk modulus of cohesionless soils in the post-liquefaction dissipation stage following seismic excitation. The proposed method employs a discretization of Biot's theory for porous media using the finite difference method. The technique was validated using synthetic data from finite elements simulations of an excited soil deposit. These numerical simulations were performed using an advanced multi-yield surface elastoplastic model. Additionally, the technique was used to analyze a series of high-quality dynamic centrifuge tests performed on Ottawa F-65 sand as part of the LEAP- 2020 project. A comparative analysis between recorded and identified bulk modulus values highlights the effectiveness of the proposed technique across a wide range of conditions.
The dynamic response of piles is a fundamental issue that significantly affects the performance of pile foundations under vertical cyclic loading, yet it has been insufficiently explored due to the limitations of experimental methods. To address this gap, a hydraulic loading device was developed for centrifuge tests, capable of applying loads up to 2.5 kN and 360 Hz. This device could simulate the primary loading conditions encountered in engineering applications, such as those in transportation and power machinery, even after the amplification of the dynamic frequency for centrifuge tests. Furthermore, a design approach for model piles that considers stress wave propagation in pile body and pile-soil dynamic interaction was proposed. Based on the device and approach, centrifuge comparison tests were conducted at 20 g and 30 g, which correspond to the same prototype. The preliminary results confirmed static similarity with only a 1.25% deviation in ultimate bearing capacities at the prototype scale. Cyclic loading tests, conducted under various loading conditions that were identical at the prototype scale, indicated that dynamic displacement, cumulative settlement, and axial forces at different burial depths adhered the dynamic similarity of centrifuge tests. These visible phenomena effectively indicate the rationality of centrifuge tests in studying pile-soil interaction and provide a benchmark for using centrifuge tests to investigate soil-structure dynamic interactions.
The presence of underground structures within fault zones has the potential to alter deformation patterns on the ground surface, thereby placing existing structures-typically regarded as safe-at risk. This paper presents findings from four centrifuge model tests and 3D numerical simulations exploring the effects of tunneling in fault zones. This study investigated the values associated with foundation rotation, surface deformations, and the patterns of fault rupture propagation through various soil strata. The results demonstrate that the presence of a tunnel alters the interaction pattern between fault rupture and foundation systems, which can lead to an increase in foundation rotation. Notably, the findings indicate that a precise consideration of superstructure shape can enhance foundation rotation by up to 23%. Furthermore, the presence of a tunnel in the fault zone causes substructures to endure major damage from vertical fault displacements exceeding 0.6 m. In contrast, these substructures experienced similar levels of damage at vertical fault displacements of 1.7 m in the absence of tunnels.
Precast driven piles are extensively used for infrastructure on soft soils, but the buildup of excess pore water pressure associated with pile driving is a challenging issue. The process of soil consolidation could take several months. Measures are sought to shorten the drainage path in the ground, and permeable pipe pile is a concept that involves drainage channels at the peak pore pressure locations around the pile circumference. Centrifuge tests were conducted to understand the responses of permeable pipe pile treated ground, experiencing the whole pile driving, soil consolidating, and axially loading process. Results show that the dissipation rate of pore pressures can be improved, especially at a greater depth or at a shorter distance from the pile, since the local hydraulic gradient was higher. Less significant buildup of pore pressures can be anticipated with the use of permeable pipe pile. For this, the bearing capacity of composite foundation with permeable pipe pile can be increased by over 36.9%, compared to the case with normal pipe pile at a specific time period. All these demonstrate the ability of permeable pipe pile in accelerating the consolidation process, mobilizing the bearing capacity of treated ground at an early stage, and minimizing the set-up effect. (c) 2025 Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/ 4.0/).