Liquefaction Potential Evaluation by SDMT

The seismic dilatometer (SDMT) permits to obtain parallel independent evaluations of liquefaction resistance CRR from the horizontal stress index Kd and from the shear wave velocity Vs. The use of Vs for evaluating CRR is well known. Correlations CRR-Kd have also been developed in the last two decades, stimulated by the recognized sensitivity of Kd to a number of factors which are known to increase liquefaction resistance – such as stress state/history, prestraining, aging, cementation, structure – and its correlation to relative density and state parameter. The authors have collected in the recent years, using SDMT, a large amount of parallel measurements of Kd and Vs in different saturated sandy soils. Using such data an evaluation has been made of the CRR-Kd and CRR-Vs correlations. Additional verification, supported by more real-life liquefaction case histories where Vs and Kd are known, is desirable.