Evaluation Procedures for Estimating Lateral Spreading Displacement in Soil

It is important to recognize that lateral spreading does not require very loose soils to occur. It can produce potentially damaging deformations in medium dense soils, particularly when ground motion durations are long. The goal of this study was to use recent improvements in understanding of the lateral spreading and their effects on nonlinear site response to guide the development of improved predictive relationships for permanent displacement associated with lateral spreading. Lateral spreading is a complicated phenomenon and the mechanics by which it occurs are also complicated. A number of recent studies have helped illuminate the physical processes that control the development of lateral spreading deformations. Other studies have focused on practical, empirical procedures for estimation of lateral spreading displacements. This procedures was intended to produce a predictive relationship that is consistent with the known mechanics of liquefaction, lateral spreading, and nonlinear site response, and also with actual field observations of lateral spreading.

Keywords:

Displacement , Lateral Spreading , Liquefaction , Procedures