Possibility of Postliquefaction Flow Failure due to Seepage

Abstract

This study examines the postliquefaction flow failure mechanism, in which shear strain develops due to seepage upward during the redistribution of excess pore water pressure after an earthquake. The mechanism is addressed as both a soil element and a boundary value problem. Triaxial tests that reproduce the stress state of a gentle slope subjected to upward pore water inflow were performed, with the results showing that shear strain can increase significantly after the stress state reaches the failure line. In addition, when subject to equivalent volumetric strain, shear strain is considerably larger in loose sand conditions than in dense sand. Compared with consolidated and drained test results, the dilatancy coefficient β, which indicates the rate of dilation, is the same as that obtained from pore water inflow tests. Torsional hollow cylinder tests were also performed to ascertain the limit of dilation of sand specimens. It was found that the β values are nonlinear in behavior. In addition, a postliquefaction flow failure mechanism based on one-dimensional consolidation theory and shear deformation behavior as a result of pore water inflow is proposed.