Influence of embankment properties on dynamic response considering liquefiable foundation soil

A finite element method-based numerical study is conducted to analyze the response of a homogeneous embankment constructed on liquefiable sand ground using the UBC3D-PLM constitutive model. The study evaluates responses at significant locations, including the crest, settlement at the middle slope, and heave at the free ground surface. A parametric study is carried out by varying the cohesion of the embankment soil, width, height, and slope of the embankment. The parametric study has been conducted on two cases: cyclic and seismic. The first case involves motion consisting of 20 cycles with a frequency of 1.5 Hz and an amplitude of 0.2 g, while the second case involves nine real ground motions. Moreover, the primary focus of the study is on examining the variation of excess pore water pressure ratio beneath the embankment toe. The results of the present study showed that for strong-motion events where the Arias intensity exceeds 0.8, peak ground acceleration is the most effective parameter for measuring the variability of displacements caused by earthquakes. However, for weak-motion events, the period of the motion must be considered. The analysis emphasizes the importance of carefully considering the combination of embankment height and width during the design process.