Shear wave velocity-based evaluation of liquefaction resistance of in-situ sand with aging effects

The shear wave velocity is one of the commonly used parameters to evaluate liquefaction resistance of sandy soils. In this study, based on the initial liquefaction criterion-based shear wave velocity characterization model (i.e., the "Zhou-Chen model"), two correction parameters are intruduced to consider the aging effects to correct the field measured shear wave velocity and the liquefaction resistance of reconstituted sand, respectively, so that the "Zhou-Chen model" can be used to evaluate the liquefaction resistance of in-situ sandy soils. In an engineering case from Qiaojia County, Yunnan Province, both field measurements of shear wave velocity and laboratory testings are conducted to determine the parameters of the "Zhou-Chen model", and then a simplified procedure to evaluate liquefaction potential using the field shear wave velocity measurement is established. This simplified procedure is then used to evaluate the liquefaction potential of the engineering site, and the results are consistesnt with those by other methods. The proposed characterization model with further consideration of the aging effects provides a promising way to evaluate the liquefaction resistance of in-situ sandy soils with the ageing effects.