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
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Contract Numbers:
SPR-2282 (277)
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Sponsor Organizations:
Rhode Island Department of Transportation
State Office Building, 2 Capitol Hill
Providence, RI United States 02903 -
Project Managers:
Franco, Collin
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Performing Organizations:
University of Rhode Island, Kingston
College of Engineering
Kingston, RI United States 02881 -
Principal Investigators:
Veyera, George
Baxter, Christopher
- 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