A Study of Soil Liquefaction Caused by the 2014 Earthquake in Chiang Rai Province

Abstract

This article presents results from a study of liquefaction induced by the 6.3 magnitude earthquake occurred in Chiang Rai Province on May 5th, 2014 by conduction subsoil investigation using standard penetration test and Kunzelstab penetration, soil sample, and analysis of liquefaction potential at those investigated spots. The analysis reveals that all the points liquefied by that earthquake event consisted of 3 main factors which are 1) composed of loose sandy soil with grain size distribution of less than 35% passing sieve no. 200 or low-plasticity silts or clays with moisture content of 90% or more of the soils’ liquidity index, 2) groundwater table at all those liquefied point was above the soil layers indicated in 1), and 3) peak ground acceleration of 0.20g-0.25g was sufficient to find that those liquefied ground were liquefiable.