Liquefaction Probability Curves for Surficial Geologic Deposits

Research Article| February 01, 2011 Liquefaction Probability Curves for Surficial Geologic Deposits THOMAS L. HOLZER; THOMAS L. HOLZER Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar THOMAS E. NOCE; THOMAS E. NOCE 1U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road, MS977, Menlo Park, CA 94025 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar MICHAEL J. BENNETT MICHAEL J. BENNETT 1U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road, MS977, Menlo Park, CA 94025 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information THOMAS L. HOLZER THOMAS E. NOCE 1U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road, MS977, Menlo Park, CA 94025 MICHAEL J. BENNETT 1U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road, MS977, Menlo Park, CA 94025 Publisher: Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1558-9161 Print ISSN: 1078-7275 Copyright © 2011 EEGS Environmental & Engineering Geoscience (2011) 17 (1): 1–21. https://doi.org/10.2113/gseegeosci.17.1.1 Article history First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation THOMAS L. HOLZER, THOMAS E. NOCE, MICHAEL J. BENNETT; Liquefaction Probability Curves for Surficial Geologic Deposits. Environmental & Engineering Geoscience 2011;; 17 (1): 1–21. doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/gseegeosci.17.1.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyEnvironmental & Engineering Geoscience Search Advanced Search Abstract Liquefaction probability curves that predict the probability of surface manifestations of earthquake-induced liquefaction are developed for 14 different types of surficial geologic units. The units consist of alluvial fan, beach ridge, river delta topset and foreset beds, eolian dune, point bar, flood basin, natural river and alluvial fan levees, abandoned river channel, deep-water lake, lagoonal, sandy artificial fill, and valley train deposits. Probability is conditioned on earthquake magnitude and peak ground acceleration. Curves are developed for water table depths of 1.5 and 5.0 m. Probabilities are derived from complementary cumulative frequency distributions of the liquefaction potential index (LPI) that were computed from 927 cone penetration tests. For natural deposits with a water table at 1.5 m and subjected to a M7.5 earthquake with peak ground acceleration (PGA) = 0.25g, probabilities range from <0.03 for alluvial fan and lacustrine deposits to >0.5 for beach ridge, point bar, and deltaic deposits. The curves also were used to assign ranges of liquefaction probabilities to the susceptibility categories proposed previously for different geologic deposits. For the earthquake described here, probabilities for susceptibility categories have ranges of 0–0.08 for low, 0.09–0.30 for moderate, 0.31–0.62 for high, and 0.63–1.00 for very high. Retrospective predictions of liquefaction during historical earthquakes based on the curves compare favorably to observations. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.