Distribution of Deformations and Strains Within a Slope Supported on a Liquefiable Stratum

Ground slopes with an underlying liquefiable layer are particularly prone to failure due to seismic excitation. For an embedded foundation, the extent of ground deformation at its specific location within the slope, will dictate the level of detrimental consequences. As such, knowledge about the spatial configuration of expected ground deformation along the slope’s length and height will provide insights towards assessment and mitigation of the consequences. For that purpose, calibrated Finite element (FE) simulations of ground slopes are conducted, and derived insights from the seismic response analyses are gleaned, where properties of upper crust layer and thickness of the liquefiable layer are varied. Generally, lower levels of deformation are to be expected with distance away from the crest and toe of the sloping zone, and the study aims to quantify this effect. In addition, it is shown that properties of the upper crust may have a significant influence on the pattern and level of accumulated downslope permanent deformation.