Fall 2022 Static and Dynamic Liquefaction Assessment of Dams

In-Person Workshop

Denver, CO

October 6, 2022

Static liquefaction has been in the spotlight of different technical communities as it has been associated with numerous recent failures of tailings storage facilities (e.g., the 2019 failure of Dam I at the Corrego de Feijao mine in Brumadinho, Brazil) and water reservoir dams (e.g., the 2020 failure of Edenville dam in Michigan). Similarly, earthquake-induced liquefaction has caused major damage to earth dams and other infrastructure (e.g., slope deformation of Lower San Fernando dam during the 1971 San Fernando earthquake, failure of the Tapo Canyon dailings dam during the 1994 Northridge earthquake, and flow slide of the Las Palmas tailings dam during the 2011 Maule earthquake).  

This 1-day workshop will discuss core concepts of static and cyclic liquefaction relying on the critical state soil mechanics framework and outline how static and cyclic liquefaction assessments are incorporated in the design of dam systems. Towards this end, hands-on exercises and practical examples will be used to illustrate state-of-the-art techniques to assess static and dynamic liquefaction.  

Workshop objectives  

Outline the state-of-the-art in the assessment of static and dynamic liquefaction. 

Introduce practical tools for assessing static and dynamic liquefaction. 

Introduce emerging directions to advance the assessment of static and dynamic liquefaction. 

Specific benefits participants will take away: 

The state-of-practice and state-of-the-art techniques to assess static and dynamic liquefaction. 

How to estimate properties for static liquefaction assessment using hands-on exercises. 

How to use the CPT-based information to assess liquefaction triggering and consequences. 

Numerical-based techniques to assess static and dynamic liquefaction, including a hands-on exercise.

Speakers