Description

Current cyclic liquefaction triggering procedures rely largely on semi-empirical correlations, whereas static liquefaction assessments are more directly grounded in mechanics. This presentation evaluates whether critical state soil mechanics (CSSM) can provide a more unified and transferable framework for cyclic liquefaction assessment. The framework combines laboratory-derived mechanical properties, CPT-based state inversion, relationships between state and cyclic resistance ratio (CRR), and seismic demand represented by cyclic stress ratio (CSR). Its performance is evaluated from a liquefaction manifestation perspective using observations from earthquake case histories. The talk closes by discussing the potential of this framework to provide a more physically grounded basis for liquefaction assessment, particularly for unusual soils and regions with limited case-history data.