A numerical model to investigate the effects of propagating liquefied soils on structures

This contribution is concerned with the development of a computational method for simulating the propagation of a liquefied soil, modelled as a Bingham material, while evaluating its effects on adjacent structures. The method is based upon the existence of a minimum principle for the velocity field governing the instantaneous evolution of the liquefied soil mass, which is solved by resorting to a specific numerical algorithm implemented within the context of a finite element formulation. Making use of simplifying assumptions, the calculation of the drag force induced by the moving soil mass on structures schematized as rigid obstacles, can be performed independently, exploiting the same numerical tool. The whole procedure is illustrated on the typical example of a liquefied soil embankment interacting with a single row of regularly spaced foundation piles placed across the propagating soil mass.