Numerical analysis of liquefaction phenomenon considering irregular topographic interfaces between porous layers

In order to identify the liquefaction potential, soil is considered as homogeneous horizontal layers in all previous studies. However, in reality, soil is composed of layers with some irregularities. Therefore, in the present research, the liquefaction potential of two layers of saturated sand is evaluated considering the irregular topography of layers. The effect of different topographies including crown and valley shapes of one, two, and four sine waves has been considered using two-dimensional models subjected to earthquakes. The results indicate that the irregularly embedded topographies play a role in assessing liquefaction, which can be useful in geotechnical earthquake engineering.