A pore water pressure model calibration based on in-situ test results

This paper proposes a procedure for the calibration of a simplified pore water pressure model implemented in 1D effective stress dynamic analyses. The calibration procedure is based on the cyclic strength of the soils as quantified using empirical correlations with in-situ tests, CPT and SPT. Specific relationships have been directly defined among the parameters of the pore water pressure model and the results of in-situ tests. All the steps for the definition of these relationships are described in detail. The proposed calibration procedure has been used to simulate the seismic response of two well-documented reclaimed sites where widespread liquefaction occurred: Port Island, in Kobe (Japan) and Treasure Island in California (US), struck by the 1995 Kobe and the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquakes, respectively. The results of the analyses have been compared to the actual site response as recorded by downhole acceleration arrays, showing that the proposed approach leads to a good estimate of the site response. Guidelines for calibration of the proposed model are finally provided, and the advantages and limitations of its use are discussed in detail.