CPT-based model calibration for effective stress analysis of layered soil deposits

Recent research recognized the advantages of effective stress dynamic analysis in estimating the seismic response of layered soil profiles. One of the key challenges in performing effective stress analysis is the calibration of constitutive models able to simulate complex soil behavior under seismic loading. To over come this problem, calibration procedures have been developed to guide the definition of model parameters on the results of in-situ tests. In this study, a reference layered soil profile from Christchurch in New Zealand, which experienced liquefaction during the 2010-2011 Canterbury earthquake sequence, was used to verify the goodness of the CPT-based calibration procedure of a simplified pore water pressure model. Comparisons with the seismic response predicted using an advanced state concept-based constitutive model were also reported. Despite the simplifications adopted in the calibration process, the analysis results replicate the occurrence of liquefaction and encourage CPT-based model parameter definition for routine effective stress dynamic analyses.