Prediction of liquefaction - induced ground displacement near bridges

ABSTRACT

Liquefaction - induced ground displacement resulting from lateral spread is a major causes of bridge damage during large earthquakes. Most damage of this type occurs at river crossings where bridges are founded on thick, liquefiable deposits of floodplain alluvium. An estimate of the probable ground displacement at potentially liquefiable sites in an important parameter for engineers to design safe bridges and to assess potential losses for lateral spread. Tothis and, case histories of lateral spread displacement resulting from several major earthquakes were analyzed using multiple linear regression (MIR) techniques. This paper discusses the type of lateral spread damage to bridges and presents and empirical model that can be used to estimate liquefaction-induced horizontal ground displacement near bridge crossings (AU)