Seismic analysis of piles

Ruwan Rajapakse, in Pile Design and Construction Rules of Thumb (Second Edition), 2016

19.5.6 How to obtain (N1)60

(19.5)(N1)60=Nm×CN×CE×CB×CR
•

Nm, SPT value measured in the field.

CN, overburden correction factor = (Pa/σ′)0.5Pa = 100 kPa; σ′, effective stress of soil at

point of measurement.

CE, energy correction factor for the SPT hammer. For donut hammers CE = 0.5–1.0; for
trip type donut hammers; CE = 0.8–1.3.

CB, borehole diameter correction. For borehole diameters 65–115 mm use CB = 1.0; for
borehole diameter of 150 mm, use CB = 1.05; for borehole diameter of 200 mm, use
CB = 1.15.

CR, rod length correction (rods attached to the SPT spoon would exert their weight on the
soil. Longer rods would exert a higher load on soil and in some cases the spoon would go
down due to the weight of rods without any hammer blows. Hence, correction is made to
account for the weight of rods).

For rod length < 3 m, use CR = 0.75; for rod length 3–4 m, use CR = 0.8; for rod length 4–6 m,
use CR = 0.85; for rod length 6–10 m, use CR = 0.95; for rod length 10–30 m, use CR = 1.0.

Design example 19.1

Consider a point at a depth of 5 m in a sandy soil (fines < 5%). Total density of soil is

1800 kg/m3. The groundwater is at a depth of 2 m. Corrected (N1)60 value is 15. Peak horizontal
acceleration at the ground surface (amax) was found to be 0.15g for an earthquake of magnitude
7.5. Check to see whether the soil at a depth of 5 m would liquefy under an earthquake of 7.5
magnitude.
Sign in to download full-size image

Step 1: find the cyclic stress ratio.

(19.6)Cyclic stress ratio (CSR)=0.65amaxg×σσ′×rd

Here amax, peak horizontal acceleration at the ground surface = 0.15g; σ, total stress at the
point of concern; σ′, effective stress at the point of concern; rd, stress reduction coefficient
(this parameter accounts for the flexibility of the soil profile).

(19.7)rd=1.0−0.00765 Z for Z<9.15 m (Z isdepth to the point of concern in meters)
(19.8)rd=1.174−0.0267 Z for 9.15   m<Z<23   m
σ=5×1800=9000   kg/m2
σ′=2×1800+3   (1800−1000)=6000 kg/m2

(Density of water = 1000 kg/m2)

Since the depth of concern is 5 m (which is less than 9.15 m) use Equation (19.7) to find
rd.

rd=1.0−0.00765 Z for Z<9.15   m; rd=1.0−0.00765×5=0.962
Hence, CSR=0.65×(0.15)×90006000×0.962=0.1407.

Step 2: find the soil resistance to liquefaction.

(19.9)CRR7.5=1[34 − (N1)60]+(N1)60135+50[10⋅(N1)60+45 ]2−2200

(N1)60 value is given to be 15. Hence, CRR7.5 = 0.155.

Since soil resistance to liquefaction (0.155) is larger than the CSR value (0.1407), the soil
at 5 m depth will not undergo liquefaction for an earthquake of magnitude 7.5.

Correction factor for magnitude

As you are aware Equation (19.4) (for CRR7.5) is valid only for earthquakes of magnitude 7.5.
Correction factor is proposed to account for magnitudes different from 7.5.

(19.10)Factor of safety (FOS) is given by=(CRR7.5/CSR)

CRR7.5, resistance to soil liquefaction for a magnitude of 7.5 earthquake and CSR, cyclic stress
ratio (which is a measure of the impact due to the earthquake load).
Factor of safety for any other earthquake is given by following equation:

(19.11)Factor of safety(FOS)=CRR 7.5CSR×MSF

MSF is magnitude-scaling factor, given in Table 19.1.

Table 19.1. Magnitude scaling factors

Earthquake MSF suggested by Idris MSF suggested by Andrus and

magnitude (1995) Stokoe
5.5 2.2 2.8
6.0 1.76 2.1
6.5 1.44 1.6
7.0 1.19 1.25
7.5 1.00 1.00
8.0 0.84
8.5 0.72

Participants of the 1985 NRC (National Research Council) conference gave the freedom to
engineers to select either of the values suggested by Idris or Andrus and Stokoe. As you can see
Idris values are more conservative, and in noncritical buildings, such as warehouses, the
engineers may be able to use Andrus and Stokoe values.

Design example 2

CRR7.5 value of a soil was found to be 0.11. CSR value for the soil was computed to be 0.16. Will
this soil liquefy for an earthquake of 6.5 magnitude?

Step 1: Find the factor of safety.

Factor of safety (FOS) = (CRR7.5 /CSR) × MSF

MSF for an earthquake of 6.5 = 1.44 (Idris)

Factor of safety = (0.11/0.16) × 1.44 = 0.99 (soil would liquefy).

Use MSF given by Andrus and Stokoe.

Factor of safety = (0.11/0.16) × 1.6 = 1.1 (soil would not liquefy).

Correction factor for content of fines

Equation (19.4) was developed for clean sand with fines content less than 5%. Correction factor
is suggested for soils with higher fines contents.
(19.12)CRR7.5=1[34 − (N1)60]+(N1)60135+50[10. (N1)60+45 ]2−2200

Corrected (N1)60 value should be used in the aforementioned equation for soils with higher fines
content.

The following procedure should be followed to find the correction factor:

Compute (N1)60 as in the previous case.

Use following equations to account for the fines content:

(N1)60 C=a+b   (N1)60  (N1)60 C=Corrected (N1)60 value
(19.13)a=0 for FC<5% (FC=fines content)
(19.14)a=exp1.76−190FC2 for 5%<FC<35%
(19.15)a=5.0   for   FC>35%
(19.16)b=1.0 for FC<5%
(19.17)b=0.99+FC1.51000  for 5%<FC<35%
(19.18)b=1.2    for    FC>35%

Design example 3

(N1)60 value for soil with 30% fines content was found to be 20. Find the corrected (N1)60C value
for that soil.

Step   1:  (N1)60 C=a+b (N1)60
(19.19)For FC=30%; a=exp1.76−190FC2=exp1.76−190302=4.706For FC=30%; 
b=0.99+FC1.51000=1.154(N1)60 C=4.706+1.154×20=27.78

Design example 4

Consider a point at a depth of 5 m in a sandy soil (fines = 40%). Total density of soil is

1800 kg/m3. The groundwater is at a depth of 2 m (γw = 1000 kg/m3). Corrected (N1)60 value is 15
(all the correction parameters CN, CE, CB, and CR are applied, except for the fines content). Peak
horizontal acceleration at the ground surface (amax) was found to be 0.15g for an earthquake of
magnitude 8.5. Check to see whether the soil at a depth of 5 m would liquefy under this
earthquake load.

Step 1: find the cyclic stress ratio.

(19.20)Cyclic stress ratio (CSR)=0.65amaxg×σσ′×rdσ=5×1800=9000 kg/m2;  σ
′=2×1800+3 (1800−1000)=6000 kg/m2
Since the depth of concern is 5 m (which is less than 9.15 m) use Equation (19.2)

rd=1.0−0.00765 Z for Z<9.15 m; rd=1.0−0.00765×5=0.962
Hence, CSR=0.65×(0.15)×90006000×0.962=0.1407

Step 2: provide the correction factor for fines content.

For soils with 40% fines a = 5 and b = 1.2 (Equation (19.15) and (19.18)).

(N1)60 C=a+b (N1)60(N1)60 C=5+1.2×15=23

Step 3: find the soil resistance to liquefaction.

(19.21)CRR7.5 = 1[34 − (N1)60]   +   (N1)60135   +   50[10. (N)60 + 45 ]2 − 2200

(N1)60C value is found to be 23 (see step 2)

Hence, CRR7.5 = 0.25 (from Equation (19.4))

(19.22)Factor of safety (FOS)=CRR7.5CSR×MSF

MSF, magnitude scaling factor.

Obtain MSF from Table 19.1.

MSF = 0.72 for an earthquake of 8.5 magnitude (table by Idris).

CSR = 0.1407 (see step 1).

Factor of safety (FOS) = (0.25/0.1407) × 0.72 = 1.27.

The soil would not liquefy.