A micro-mechanical study of granular soil liquefaction during dynamic excitations

A fully coupled continuum-discrete hydromechanical model is employed to analyze the dynamic response of saturated granular soils. The fluid motion was idealized using averaged Navier-Stokes equations and the discrete element method was employed to model the solid particles. Well established semi-empirical relationships were used to quantify the fluid-particle interactions. Numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the liquefaction mechanisms of level sites and sloping grounds when subjected to a dynamic base excitation. The outcome of these simulations was consistent with experimental observations and revealed valuable information on the micro-mechanical characteristics of soil liquefaction and associated loss of stiffness and strength.