What is Soil liquefaction?

Soil  Liquefaction is a phenomenon in which the strength and stiffness of a soil is reduced by earthquake shaking or other rapid loading. Liquefaction and related phenomena have been responsible for tremendous amounts of damage in historical earthquakes around the world.   

Soil liquefaction occurs in saturated loose (low dinsety) soils, that is, soils in which the space between individual particles is completely filled with water. This water exerts a pressure on the soil particles that influences how tightly the particles themselves are pressed together. Prior to an earthquake, the water pressure is relatively low. However, earthquake shaking can cause the water pressure to increase to the point where the soil particles can readily move with respect to each other.

The liquefaction of saturated soil is loose andthe ultimate position of hismechanical behavior when in the presence of constrainedare shearand following the accumulation of interstitial pressuresthem, and the ground collapsesloses its strength.Charging can be static or dynamic.All soils are not liquefy.The conditions of the liquefaction involve both:- The soil, predominantly sandy and collapsedcorn,- Soil conditions, saturated and low density (soilche)- Low resistance for pressures interstitielles,- The power and duration of the solicitation SISMIthanrelative to the soil resistance. French La liquéfaction d’un sol saturé et lâche constitue la situation ultime de son comportement mécanique où, en présence de contraint es de cisaillement et suite à l’accumulation de pressions interstitiel les, le sol s’effondre et perd toute sa résistance. Le chargement peut être statique ou dynamique. Tous les sols ne sont pas liquéfiables. Les conditions de la liquéfaction font intervenir à la fois : - la nature du sol, à dominante sableuse et effondrable, - l’état du sol, saturé et de faible densité (sol lâche), - une faible résistance en présence de pressions interstitielles, - la puissance et la durée de la sollicitation sismique par rapport à la résistance du sol.