Variations in Liquefaction

There are two general classes of liquefaction phenomena depending on loading (1) spontaneous liquefaction and (2) cyclic liquefaction. Spontaneous liquefaction is the result of the collapse of a metastable grain skeleton when subject to a mild shock. The mild shock can be generated by sudden differential settlement or because of a sudden rotational failure of a slope, or blasting effects. 

Typical types of cyclic loadings in the marine environment, (a) Jackup platform leg (1-way) (b) earthquake loading (2-way) (c) ocean wave loading (2-way). (From Chaney, R.C., and Fang, H.Y., Liquefaction in the coastal environment An analysis of case histories, Marine Geotechnology, Vol. 10,343-370,1991. Reprinted with permission. Copyright ASTM.) 

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