One‐Dimensional Shock and Quasi‐Static Liquefaction of Silt and Sand

Abstract

This paper summarizes the results of undrained quasi‐static and shock compression tests performed on confined specimens of saturated Bonny Silt, Monterey No. 0/30 sand, and a mixture of the two soils. The tests evaluated pore pressure response and liquefaction potential of sand, silt and silty‐sand subjected to high intensity compressive loading. The quasi‐static tests consisted of load cycles of increasing magnitude and the shock tests consisted of millisecond compressive wave loadings. Shock and quasi‐static induced excess pore pressures were approximately equal when the sand was subjected to equal peak strains. The silt and the mixture exhibited significantly higher increases in excess pore pressure under quasi‐static loading than under shock loading for the same peak strain. The pore‐pressure ratio of the three soil types increased with increasing peak strain, with decreasing effective stress, and with increasing void ratio.