Liquefaction risk assessment of airport infrastructure using geological data and remote sensing techniques
Liquefaction risk assessment of airport infrastructure using geological data and remote sensing techniques
Airport infrastructure plays a crucial role in regional and national economies, as well as during emergencies such as after major earthquakes. However, its functionality remains vulnerable to disruption caused by secondary earthquake effects, such as soil liquefaction. Hence, assess the risk posed to airport facilities by these phenomena becomes paramount for ensuring airport resilience and preparedness in the face of seismic events. This study, introduces a practical and rapid assessment tool for the risk analysis of airport infrastructure located in liquefaction-prone areas. Focusing on the Nestos delta in Greece, where the Kavala International Airport (KVA) is placed, a new methodology is proposed, which combines geological and remote sensing data to assess and map liquefaction susceptibility at local scale. The results reveal that a significant section of KVA’s runway and taxiways are located on highly susceptible soils of abandoned meanders. Using FEMA’s HAZUS methodology the study quantifies the impacts of liquefaction for a given seismic scenario. The analysis estimates a 49% probability of liquefaction for the highly susceptible class, with ground settlements predicted to reach 30cm. The results of the liquefaction hazard analysis are used for the risk assessment of the airport infrastructure, estimating a total direct loss of €22,2 million. The analysis is validated using datasets from three international airports that sustained extensive seismic damage in the past. This research serves toward safeguarding airport infrastructure in liquefaction-prone regions.
M. Taftsoglou; S. Valkaniotis; G. Papathanassiou; Sotirios Argyroudis
18th European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ECSMGE2024)
B - Geohazards
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