Influence of clay content on repeated liquefaction resistance of sand using element test

Abstract

Soil liquefaction is a major concern because of its potential to cause building collapse, roadbed settlement, and sand eruptions. Field investigations have shown that clayey sand, when liquefied during mainshock, may undergo multiple liquefaction events during the subsequent aftershocks. Although previous research has primarily focused on the initial liquefaction event in clayey sand, research on the mechanism responsible for repeated liquefaction is limited. Consequently, a series of cyclic triaxial experiments are conducted on sand with varying clay contents, and these samples are subjected to various earthquake sequences. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the cyclic behavior of sandy soil with clay content and analyze its repeated liquefaction resistance under different load sequences. A comprehensive assessment is conducted to understand the evolution of the repeated liquefaction resistance. The test results indicate that clayey sand exhibits the lowest liquefaction resistance during the second liquefaction event. Repeated liquefaction is dominated by stress-induced anisotropy at earlier events and relative density at the final events.