Probabilistic and spatial assessment of liquefaction-induced settlements through multiscale random field models

Evaluation of liquefaction-induced settlements over an extended area requires the integration of different solution models that can account for the liquefaction resistance of a given soil profile and its spatial dependence across scales. In this paper, a CPT-based liquefaction model is adopted to estimate the liquefaction-induced settlement at individual sounding locations. The model is then integrated with multiscale random field models to account for spatial variability of soil properties. One important advantage of the proposed framework is its ability to consistently refine and provide settlement estimations across different scales, from regional and geologic unit scales down to a local, site-specific scale. The proposed methodology is then applied to the Alameda County, California, an earthquake-prone region, to illustrate the procedure for probabilistic and spatial assessment of liquefaction-induced settlements at different scales. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.