Liquefaction Potential of Inorganic and Organic Silts

Layers of soft inorganic and organic silts underlie many urban areas of Rhode Island. During an earthquake, it is not known whether these silts will liquefy, amplify ground motions, or experience significant losses in strength. Any of these effects would have a significant impact on overlying structures such as buildings, roads, and embankments. The relocation of Route 195 through Providence, which is scheduled for construction throughout the next decade, involves several highway embankments over thick deposits of silt, and there is presently no clear evidence or data about the dynamic behavior and liquefaction potential of these soils. This research will involve a detailed laboratory testing program involving cyclic triaxial tests and a sampling program involving fixed piston and block samples. A careful sampling program is critical for this type of study because of the extreme difficulty in obtaining undisturbed samples of saturated silts. The results of this research will have a direct impact on the seismic design of surface transportation infrastructure, such as highway bridges and embankments, built on the organic and inorganic silts of Rhode Island.

Language

English

Project

Status: Active
Funding: $64000.00
Contract Numbers:
SPR-2282 (277)
Sponsor Organizations:
Rhode Island Department of Transportation

State Office Building, 2 Capitol Hill
Providence, RI United States 02903
Project Managers:
Franco, Collin

(401) 222-3030
Performing Organizations:
University of Rhode Island, Kingston

College of Engineering
Kingston, RI United States 02881
Principal Investigators:
Veyera, George

University of Rhode Island, Kingston

(401) 874-2692

gveyera@uri.edu

Baxter, Christopher

(401) 874-6575

baxter@oce.uri.edu
Start Date: 20030723
Expected Completion Date: 0
Actual Completion Date: 0
Source Data: RiP Project 9284

Subject/Index Terms

TRT Terms: Embankments; Highway bridges; Infrastructure; Liquefaction; Organic deposits; Research projects; Silts; Soils
Geographic Terms: Rhode Island
Subject Areas: Economics; Geotechnology; Research; I30: Materials;

Filing Info

Accession Number: 01458890
Record Type: Research project
Source Agency: Rhode Island Department of Transportation
Contract Numbers: SPR-2282 (277)
Files: RIP, STATEDOT
Created Date: Jan 3 2013 12:52PM