Missouri University of Science and Technology Scholars' Mine

International Conference on Case Histories in (1993) - Third International Conference on Case Geotechnical Engineering Histories in Geotechnical Engineering

03 Jun 1993, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Liquefaction Case Histories from 1990 , , Earthquake

M. K. Yegian Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts

M. A. A. Nogole-Sadat Geological Survey of Iran, , Iran

V. G. Ghahraman Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts

H. Darai Consulting Geotechnical Engineer, Tehran, Iran

Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/icchge

Part of the Geotechnical Engineering Commons

Recommended Citation Yegian, M. K.; Nogole-Sadat, M. A. A.; Ghahraman, V. G.; and Darai, H., "Liquefaction Case Histories from 1990 Manjil, Iran, Earthquake" (1993). International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering. 12. https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/icchge/3icchge/3icchge-session03/12

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

This Article - Conference proceedings is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars' Mine. It has been accepted for inclusion in International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering by an authorized administrator of Scholars' Mine. This work is protected by U. S. Copyright Law. Unauthorized use including reproduction for redistribution requires the permission of the copyright holder. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Proceedings: Third International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering, St. Louis, Missouri, June 1-4, 1993, Paper No. 3.18

Liquefaction Case Histories from 1990 Manjil, Iran, Earthquake M. K. Yegian V. G. Ghahraman Professor and Chairman, Department of Civil Engineering, Graduate Student, Department of Civil Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts

M. A. A. Nogole-Sadat H. Darai Professor, Tehran University, and Senior Geologist, Geological Consulting Geotechnical Engineer, Tehran, Iran Survey of Iran, Tehran, Iran

SYNOPSIS: The Manjil, Iran, earthquake caused extensive liquefaction and liquefaction-induced damage to residential, commercial and public structures. This paper presents liquefaction case histories as well as the results from our analysis of the data. Based on the field observations made in Iran, liquefaction strength of clean sands for Ms=7.7 is established. The resulting liquefaction resistance versus density relationship is compared with the results published by Seed et al. (1983).

INTRODUCTION

The Manjil, Iran earthquake, Mg=7.7 (Berberian et al. 1992) occurred on June 21, 1990 shortly after midnight local time. Official estimates indicate that more than 35,000 people lost their lives. Because of the rural nature of the Mianeh populated region within the earthquake zone, the damage (0.02g)• Leef·shage~d Ra due to ground shaking was primarily to one and two-story {~ . . Ab·bar Lahii:n single family houses. During the earthquake, liquefaction (0.55g)~- (0.15g) Zanjan ·• Ma ~~ Tonekabon of foundation soils also played a significant role in the (O.lOgl L a [Fault (O.l3g) destruction of many houses and commercial and public Abhar oGhazvin buildings. There was dramatic evidence of this widespread (0.20g). (0.19g) liquefaction-induced damage as far away as 80 km from the Tettran fault. IRAN The authors with the support of the Ministry of Housing SO 100km and Urban Development of the government of Iran and the office of the governor of the Guilan Province investigated the liquefaction related aspects of the earthquake (Y egian & Region of widespread liquefaction Ghahraman 1990). A comprehensive report is being prepared that will document the results of our extensive field investigations of the densities of the liquefied sands. Fig. 1. Geographic Map of Northwestern Region of In addition, the report will include the results of our Iran analysis of the case histories on: liquefaction of level ground, pile and pier response in liquefied sands, 1992). The epicenter of the earthquake is inferred to be at liquefaction-induced foundation settlements and permenant or near the town of Manjil. Within a region of 200 km ground deformations. from the fault, a number of strong motion accelerograms successfully recorded the ground motions. Figure 1 shows This paper describes the extent of our investigations, selected cities and towns and the corresponding recorded presents typical results from our field density tests and peak ground accelerations. Of particular interest is the concludes with an analysis of the liquefaction case histories record obtained in the city of located 62 km from related to level ground conditions. the fault. Figure 2 shows the acceleration-time history of this record (Naderzadeh 1991). Although the total duration THE EARTHQUAKE of the record shown is about 60 seconds the effective duration of interest for liquefaction analysis is about 15 Figure 1 shows northwest region of Iran as well as the seconds. To illustrate this, the equivalent number of location of the fault. The fault is a right lateral thrust fault uniform cycles, Neq• of the l.ahijan record was computed, and has an effective length of about 80 km (Berberian et al. as a function of time, using the procedure suggested by

Third International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering 613 Missouri University of Science and Technology http://ICCHGE1984-2013.mst.edu ,...... 200 1/) 0 ..._,0" 100 c 0 0 ~ ....0 Q) -100 Qj (.) (.) <( -200 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Time (s)

Fig. 2. The Ground Motion Recorded in Lahijan

r z 20

._II) 16 .._oQQ) Q)>. 12 .aU 8 Fig. 4. Liquefied Sand Ejected Near the Banks of the ::I.._EE zo 4 Sefid River in Loshan ·c:..... ::::> 0 0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Time (s)

Caspian Sea Fig. 3. The Equivalent Number of Uniform Cycles of the Lahijan Record

Seed et al. (1975). The results, presented in Figure 3, N confirm that the record has a total of about 17 cycles of equivalent pulses and a duration of 15 seconds. For a magnitude Ms=7.7 earthquake, Neq=17 cycles is consistent with what bas been observed from other similar earthquakes (Seed et al. 1983). 0 20 (km)

LIQUEFACTION CASE HISTORIES • liquefied regions

Figure 1 shows three regions where liquefaction was observed and were subsequently investigated by the Fig. 5. Cities and Towns in the Liquefied Regions authors. In Loshan, 15 km from the fault, extensive Where Field Investigations Were Made evidence of liquefaction was observed as shown in Figure 4. At this site, the performance of bridge piers and pile Penetration Tests (SPT). Liquefaction to the east of foundations in liquefied sands were investigated. These occurred almost entirely in the levee deposits along the studies, however, are not within the scope of this paper. banks of the Sefid and Heshmat rivers (Figure 5). Near the Caspian Sea two regions were extensively However, the liquefied sands to the west of Rasht are of investigated as shown in Figure 1; Astaneh-Ashrafieh marine origin. Figures 6 through 8 illustrate typical region located to the east of the major city of Rasht, and liquefaction-induced building settlement and damage. Leef-Shagerd region to the west of Rasht. Typical case Figures 9 and 10 show typical boring logs and SPT, N­ histories from these two regions are presented in this values from Astaneh-Ashrafieh and Roudboneh, paper. respectively. The sands from this region are characterized as gray poorly graded fine sands with less than 10% silts. Figure 5 shows a map of the liquefied regions and the Also, in Figures 9 and 10 the grain size distribution curves cities and towns where we have conducted Standard of many samples of the liquefied sands obtained from these

614 Third International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering Missouri University of Science and Technology http://ICCHGE1984-2013.mst.edu Fig. 6. Settlement and Tilt of a Building on Liquefied Fig. 8. Liquefaction-Induced Settlement of Single­ Sand in Astaneh-Ashrafieh Story Structures in Roudboneh

AS-3 N ( blowslft) (m) 0 10 20 0

5

10

15 Sand

20 Clay

25 Sandy silt 100

90 80 r.... i 70 ~ 80 D... li c 50 ii: 40 c:• ...•!! 30 20 10

0 0 .01 0 .001 Pertlcle Size (mm)

I CobbleaJ Gr•vel Send· Bllt or Cle, Fig. 7. Liquefaction-Induced Differential Settlement Fig. 9. Typical Boring Log and Range of Gradation of Between a House and an Adjacent Wall in the Sands from the Liquefied Region in Astaneh-Ashrafieh Astaneh-Ashrafieh

615 Third International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering Missouri University of Science and Technology http://ICCHGE1984-2013.mst.edu RB-1 two towns are presented. In Astaneh-Ashrafieh the water N ( blows/ft) table at the time of our field investigations, about a year (m) 0 10 20 after the earthquake, was 3 to 4 meters below the ground 0 surface. However, it has been reported that at the time of the earthquake the water level in wells was about 2 meters 5 below the ground surface.

10 Figure 11 shows typical boring log obtained in Leef­ 15 lllii1 Silt Shagerd. The sands in Leef-Shagerd and in Nassir­ Mahalleh are brown and well graded with little silts and . Sand 20 D gravels as shown in Figure 11. Clay 25 ~ 100 To evaluate the liquefaction resistance of the sands the 90 SPT results from 9 regions and 31 boreholes were analyzed. The earthquake-induced shear stresses were :c 80 ~. 70 3: 60 .. 1. "~ TABLE Liquefaction Case History Data for c 50 u: Level Ground Conditions i· 40 •~ 30 .. 20 . Location Distance Ace. Boring (N1leo 'tlav liq. 10 (km) (g) Number {ave.) (ave.) D Astaneh- 100 10 0.01 0.001 Ashrafieh 65 0.18 AS-1 10.4 0.17 Yes Particle Size (mm) AS-2 14.7 0.19 Yes I Cobbles I Gravel Sand Slit or Clay AS-3 13.7 0.17 Yes AS-4 12.6 0.18 Yes Fig. 10. Typical Boring Log and Range of Gradation of AS-5 gravel -- No the Sands from the Liquefied Region in AS·6 10.6 0.19 Yes Roudboneh AS-7 clay -- No AS-8 12.9 0.17 No LS-1 AS-9 10.6 0.19 Yes N ( blows/It) AS-10 15.1 0.16 Yes (m) 0 10 20 AS-11 14.9 0.17 Yes 0 AS-12 11.2 0.20 Yes AS·13 12.6 0.18 Yes AS-14 17.5 0.18 No 5 AS-15 27.6 0.17 No AS-16 13.9 0.18 No 10

Roudboneh 68 0.15 RB-1 8.2 0.13 Yes 15 Silt RB-2 8.8 0.12 Yes RB-4 8.9 0.14 Yes 20 Sand Sandy gravel Pahmedan 70 0.15 PA-1 12.5 0.14 Yes 25 PA-2 13.4 0.14 Yes 100 90 Nasser- Kiadeh 75 0.12 NK-1 7.1 0.13 Yes 80 .c.. ·;; 70 Payin- 81 0.11 RP-1 8.6 0.09 Yes 3 Roudposht .,.. 60 RP-2 11.5 0.10 Yes

c 50 ii:• Safra- c 40 Basteh 75 0.12 SB-1 14.1 0.17 Yes !!• 30 ..• leef- 55 0.20 LS-1 10.9 0.16 Yes 20 Shagerd LS-2 Yes 10 11.4 0.17

0.01 0.001 Nassir- 32 0.25 NM-1 11.6 0.22 Yes Mahalleh Particle Size (mm) NM-2 10.5 0.20 Yes I Cobbles I Gravel Sand Slit or Clay Bala-Bala 15 0.40 Bridge 14.8 0.31 Yes (loshan) Fig. 11. Typical Boring Log and Range of Gradation of Trestle 8.9 0.29 Yes the Sands from the Liquefied Region in Leef­ Shagerd • from attenuation relationship developed based on recorded ground motions

616 Third International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering Missouri University of Science and Technology http://ICCHGE1984-2013.mst.edu calculated within the sand deposits using Seed et al.(1983) CONCLUSIONS procedure. The peak ground accelerations for each site was estimated using the Lahijan record and utilizing an Liquefaction case history data from the 1990 Manjil, Iran, attenuation relationship that was established, by the authors, Earthquake (Ms=7.7) are presented. Analysis of the data based on all the recorded motions from the Manjil, Iran following the Seed et al. (1983) procedure shows that the Earthquake. The SPT, N-values were corrected for the liquefaction resistance of the sands investigated is in general . effect of overburden pressure, again, in accordance with agreement with that suggested by Seed et al. (1983) forM Seed et al. (1983). Table 1 summarizes the relevant data between 7.5 and 8.5. from these case histories. Figure 12 shows a plot of the data together with the strength curves published by Seed et REFERENCES al. (1983) for M=7.5 and M=8.5. It is noted that the SPf, N-values for the liquefied sands, prior to the earthquake Berberian, M., Qorashi, M., Jackson, J.A., Priestley, K., might have been smaller than our reported values. Yet, and Wallace, T. (1992). "The -Tarom 20 June data from other earthquake case histories indicate that the 1990 earthquake in northwest Persia: Preliminary field average SPf, N-values at a site changes very little because and seismological observations, and its tectonic of the earthquake excitation (Ohsaki,1966). significance." Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., 82( 4), 1726-1755. Notwithstanding, the Manjil earthquake data show that the strength of the sands during the Ms=7.7 earthquake is in Naderzadeh, A. (1991). Personal Communications. general agreement with the range suggested by Seed et al. (1983) curves for M=7.5 and M=8.5. If one were to make Ohsaki, Y. ( 1966). "Niigata Earthquake, 1964 Building a more conservative estimate of the liquefaction resistance damage and soil condition." Soils and Foundations, of these sands for a similar, Ms=7.7, earthquake in the 10(2), Tokyo, Japan. future, the strength values given by Seed et al. (1983) for M=8.5 would be more appropriate. Seed, H.B., Idriss, I.M., Makdisi, F., and Banerjee, N. (1975). "Representation of irregular stress time histories by equivalent uniform stress series in liquefaction analysis." Report No. EERC 75-29, Univ. of California, 0.5,------,...----T"-"-----r-----, Berkeley.

Seed, H.B., Idriss, I.M., and Arango, I. (1983). "Evaluation of liquefcation potential using field performance data." M=7.5 M=8.5 0.4 I J.Geotech. Engrg. Div., ASCE, 109(3), 458-482. I I I I I I Yegian, M.K., and Ghahraman, V.G. (1990). "The Manjil, I I I Iran Earthquake of June 21, 1990 " EERI Newsletter, I / 24(12) . • I / 0.3 • > .....It;) > ..."' • 0.2 .. • eo • o ••• oee • 0 •

0.1

10 20 30 40 (N1 )60 (blowslft)

Fig. 12. Comparison of the Liquefaction Case History Data from Manjil, Iran Earthquake with the Liquefaction Resistance Curves of Seed et al. (1983)

617 Third International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering Missouri University of Science and Technology http://ICCHGE1984-2013.mst.edu