2012 Volume 68 Issue 1 Pages 127-137
The subsidence of the ground during an earthquake is often understood to be a phenomenon induced by the liquefaction. However, the subsidence possibly occurs even in an unsaturated ground without the increase in excess pore water pressure during earthquake. It is thought to be induced by the shake packing of soil particles due to the oscillatory load during the earthquake. In this study, we discuss the relationship among the shake packing behavior, vibrating conditions and soil properties through the model test. In the model test, an electrical method was employed for monitoring the tangency among the particles during oscillation. Coal, which was an electrically conductive material, was employed to simulate the relative movement of soil particles. The electric resistance of coal depends on the tangency among the particles, therefore the tangency among coal particles during oscillation was evaluated by measuring their electric resistance. The results reveal that the relative movement among the particles can not be uniquely determined by the acceleration of the oscillation and that the ratio of particle size to the amplitude of the oscillation can be an important factor governing the relative movement among the particles.
