Reduction factor for liquefaction potential analysis

A probabilistic method to evaluate liquefaction potential based on uniform cyclic laboratory tests is developed. In this method, a peak shear stress reduction factor and a number of uniform cycles of load are paired to yield probabilities of initial liquefaction equivalent to that from nonuniform earthquake loading. An illustrative analysis is presented for a hypothetical site. The method is then used to analyze a case study of a site known to have liquefied during the 1981 Westmorland, CA earthquake.