Full-Scale Field Test on Estimation of Countermeasure for Liquefaction by Densification Method for Runway Pavement

Abstract

The role of an airport during and after a great earthquake is important because of its helpful function for emergency medical services and special activities of the transport of relief supplies to the disaster areas. In this study, the authors conducted a full-scale field experiment on liquefaction phenomena induced artificially by controlled-blast technique in the experimental site at the Ishikari Bay New Port in Hokkaido Island, in order to investigate the influence of a great earthquake on the airport's function in Japan. This experiment especially focused on the assessment of the performance of runway pavement and the effect of densification method as countermeasure for liquefaction with a cost-reduction design. This study concludes that densification method examined with cost-reduction design in this experiment keeps its effectiveness based on results of measurements of liquefaction behavior of liquefied layer and runway pavement, ground investigations after liquefaction and liquefaction-induced residual deformation analysis.