Abstract

Damage in buildings documented after recent earthquake-induced liquefaction events emphasises the importance of improving vulnerable regions using countermeasure techniques. Further investigations are required to evaluate the performance of currently available mitigation techniques. Vertical drains are an effective countermeasure technique, extensively utilised to reduce damage, as rapid dissipation of excess pore pressures can be achieved in case of liquefaction. However, further research using physical and numerical modelling techniques, centred on the behaviour of drain arrangements below structures is required in order to generate knowledge concerning the issue of their performance in the presence of buildings. Dynamic centrifuge modelling has been employed in this work to improve understanding related to the performance of drain arrangements in earthquake-induced liquefaction below new and existing structures. The analysis considers the use of recycled material as an alternative to coarse gravel inside the drains and proposes a simplified technique for the accurate simulation of the drain behaviour during soil reconsolidation.