NUMERICAL MODELING OF EARTHQUAKE LIQUEFACTION IN EARTH EMBANKMENT FOUNDATIONS

This paper focuses on the numerical modeling aspects of earthquake liquefaction in earth embankment foundations under plane strain conditions. By using a calibrated cyclic elastoplastic constitutive model for sand, the analysis for simulating coupled hydro-dynamic behavior in saturated porous media is carried out by means of the finite element method with the Biot theory. A current design study is illustrated for an earth embankment subjected to a seismic excitation in the saturated deposits with liquefiable sand. Simulated results of the embankment foundation during liquefaction are obtained for excess pore water pressures, accelerations, and displacements. It has been found that the numerical simulation can capture the fundamental aspects of the liquefaction of the earth embankment and can produce the useful results for seismic design and verification.