Edinburgh Napier University

  The seismic design of earthworks and foundations against liquefaction-induced lateral spreading requires knowledge of the associated maximum ground displacement and its variation with depth. This article focuses upon the numerical prediction of these basic design parameters for the case of a gently inclined ground surface and a uniform liquefiable soil profile or a layered profile with non-liquefiable soil inclusions. The comparisons show a reasonable overall consistency between empirical and numerical predictions of the anticipated maximum ground displacement, provided that the effect of layering is properly taken into account in estimating the total thickness of liquefiable soil. On the other hand, the pattern of ground displacement variation with depth seems to be seriously affected by the presence of non-liquefiable soil layers, on top and within the liquefiable soil profile. Guidelines and an approximate methodology are provided in order to account for these effects in the case of simple 2- and 4-layered soil profiles.