Stability of scour protection due to earthquake-induced liquefaction: Centrifuge modelling

摘要

A key aspect of permanent offshore structures is protection against scour. This is typically in the form of a blanket of coarse gravel or cobbles surrounding the structure. These coarse particles are selected for their high resistance to being displaced by strong currents and thus protect the underlying finer sand particles from scour. However, in the event of an earthquake, the foundation sand may be susceptible to some degree of liquefaction. This research investigates the effects of seismic-induced liquefaction over a scour blanket, and if sinking is inhibited by some combination of the additional effective stress imposed by the gravel together with the interlocking resistance that develops when coarse particles are subjected to relative displacements.