Centrifuge model tests on buried pipe uplift in liquefied ground using in-situ soil
Centrifuge model tests on buried pipe uplift in liquefied ground using in-situ soil
This study conducted centrifuge model tests on the liquefaction-induced uplift of underground pipes using Toyoura standard sand and in-situ sand collected from Uchinada, Ishikawa Pref., Japan. The study focuses on two aspects: (1) a comparative investigation of the uplift behaviour of buried pipes with and without countermeasures in Toyoura sand and in-situ Uchinada sand, and (2) the proposal of a reuse approach for methylcellulose-mixed viscous-fluid-saturated soil in centrifuge tests. The experimental results show that the uplift of pipes without countermeasures in Uchinada sand was significantly greater than that in Toyoura sand. When countermeasures were applied, pipe uplift in Toyoura sand was effectively suppressed to near zero, whereas non-negligible uplift was still observed in Uchinada sand. This difference was attributed to the lower shear strength of Uchinada sand, indicating that countermeasures proven effective in standard sand may not fully prevent damage in other soil types. These findings further underscore the need to investigate combined mitigation strategies, such as ground reinforcement, rather than relying on a single countermeasure. Given the limited availability of in-situ Uchinada sand, this study presents a reuse method based on the thermal gelation property of methylcellulose, enabling the recycling of viscous fluid-saturated soil in centrifuge experiments.
Hyuk Kee Hong; Tetsuo Tobita
11th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics (ICPMG2026)
Special Session 5: Combination of numerical and physical modelling
https://doi.org/10.53243/ICPMG2026-218