Initial assessment of soil liquefaction potential for selected sites in Hilla city, Babylon Governorate, Iraq

Abstract

The current research focused on the use of some geotechnical characteristics for the initial assessment of soil liquefaction at sites in the city of Hilla, Babylon Governorate. Five sites were chosen in the city centre and relatively close to the Shatt Al-Hilla. Geotechnical properties data were used to separate soils that can be classified as liquefiable from those that are not. The criteria used in this study were of two types: the Second Chinese Criteria, which is based on the natural water content and liquid limit; and the Modified Chinese Criteria, which depends on the clay content and liquid limit for the liquefaction potential of the soil. The results of this study showed that in the Second Chinese Criteria the risk of soil increases with an increase in the natural water content and a decrease in the liquid limit; however, in the Modified Chinese Criteria, the liquefaction potential increases with a decrease in the clay content to less than 10% and in the liquid limit to less than or equal to 32%.