The Effect of the Height of the Regular Wave on Seabed Liquefaction

Abstract

This paper presents the results of an experimental study of seabed liquefaction under progressive waves. Firstly, during preliminary tests, the physical and mechanical parameters of the soil selected as the subgrade material were determined. A series of monotonic triaxial shear tests were carried out at different initial void ratios and mean effective stresses. The susceptibility of soil samples to liquefaction was estimated. The results were used to design experiments in a wave flume. Their main purpose was to study the effect of wave height on wave-induced liquefaction. The experiments were carried out in a wave flume that is 64.1 m long, 0.6 m wide, and 1.4 m high, in a specially built experimental stand located 5.0 m from the wave generator below the flume bottom. Wave propagation was conducted over constant water depth which was equal h = 0.5 m. The wave surface elevation was measured by resistance type wave gauges. The pore-water pressure was measured by transducers located in the middle of the sediment pit, at four different soil depths. Parametric studies were carried out to investigate the influence of wave height on the liquefaction process. The results of experiments shown that pressure buildup is a strong function of the wave height and increases with increasing its value.