Piezocone investigation of liquefaction sites, Loma Prieta, California, earthquake of 17 October 1989

Abstract

The purpose of this report is to describe the fieldwork undertaken in the United States during June 1990, and to present the data collected from the field testing. The main aim of the visit by Roger Vreugdenhil was to document sites of liquefaction and non-liquefaction, on level ground, associated with the Loma Prieta earthquake of 17 October 1989. At the same sites, the US Geological Survey (USGS) is carrying out conventional boring, standard penetration testing and sampling.   

The results will enable current methods of predicting liquefaction potential to be checked and improved. They should also lead to improved correlation between cone readings and soil properties. In particular, the combined piezocone and drilling data from locations that liquefied and those that did not should allow us to better understand the role of fines in inhibiting liquefaction, and to relate fines content to piezocone response. Such a study forms the doctoral thesis topic of the first author.