Invited Speaker


Assist. Prof. Shih-Hsun Chou

Assist. Prof. Shih-Hsun Chou

Department of Civil Engineering, I-Shou University
Speech Title: A Rapid Post-Earthquake Liquefaction Damage Assessment Framework for Taichung Harbor, Taiwan

Abstract: Taichung Harbor, located on the western coast of Taiwan, is mainly constructed on hydraulically filled ground deposits, which may be susceptible to soil liquefaction and liquefaction-induced ground deformation during strong earthquakes. To enhance post-earthquake emergency response and disaster management for harbor infrastructures, this study develops a rapid post-earthquake liquefaction damage assessment framework for Taichung Harbor. The liquefaction assessment was performed by incorporating both deterministic and probabilistic approaches. The deterministic analyses include the SPT-N-based NCEER method and the HBF method, while the probabilistic liquefaction assessment was conducted using the procedure proposed by Cetin et al. (2000). Based on the updated geotechnical database, the factor of safety against liquefaction, liquefaction potential index, possible liquefaction extent, and liquefiable depth were evaluated under different seismic demand levels. In addition, the free-field post-liquefaction settlement was estimated following the procedure proposed by Ishihara and Yoshimine (1992). By integrating the assessment results with the updated on-site seismic monitoring system in the harbor area, the proposed framework can rapidly provide information on potential liquefaction zones, liquefiable soil layers, and ground settlement after significant earthquakes. The resulting information can be promptly delivered to relevant harbor management personnel to support field inspection, emergency response, and decision-making. In the future, the framework can be further combined with image-based monitoring systems to establish an intelligent liquefaction damage assessment system for harbor infrastructures.