Simplified procedure for estimation of liquefaction-induced settlement and site-specific probabilistic settlement exceedance curve using cone penetration test (CPT)

Liquefaction often causes damage to infrastructure such as buildings, bridges, and lifelines. Liquefaction-induced ground movements such as settlement and lateral spread are of major concern to engineers who have to evaluate seismic risk. This paper deals with evaluation of liquefaction-induced settlement using a cone penetration test (CPT). Existing CPT-based models often overestimate liquefaction-induced settlement. In this paper, a database of case histories of settlement in recent earthquakes is compiled and used to calibrate the model bias of a CPT-based model, from which a simplified procedure is developed that allows for estimation of the probability of exceeding a specified settlement at a given site. Reasonable results are obtained using the developed simplified CPT-based model, as demonstrated in the examples presented.