Evaluation of Liquefaction Potential Based on Practical Methods and Gene Expressing Programming

Liquefaction in soil layers is a vital factor intensifying earthquake damages. During an earthquake, liquefaction is likely to occur due to the existence of water in the loose layers of granular soils. As a result, assessing the soil liquefaction risk is of great significance in highly seismic-prone zones as it can help put in place arrangements to stabilize the soil and lessen liquefaction risk. Tabriz has been located in the North-West of Iran and stretches over the North Tabriz Fault, and Tabriz city has suffered several devastating earthquakes, making it one of the most seismically active regions throughout the Iranian Plateau. This research compares the numerical evaluation process and the results of two methods based on stress and energy. Through applying the two approaches based on the data collected from different areas around Tabriz, a liquefaction-zoning map is presented. Eventually, based on the evaluated liquefaction potential using the stated methods and adopting the gene expression programming (GEP) approach, an equation is provided to estimate the liquefaction potential for the case study. The predictions of the proposed models were consistent with the findings of experimental methods, demonstrating appropriate statistical measures and parametric analysis.