Development of a simplified model for pore water pressure build-up induced by cyclic loading

In this paper the formulation of a simplified model for predicting pore water pressure build-up under seismic loading is updated and applied to different soils. The model is directly based on the results of cyclic laboratory tests and it is based on the damage parameter concept, avoiding any arbitrary equivalence criterion necessary to compare the seismic demand to the cyclic strength of liquefiable soils. The model is suitable to be implemented into non-linear coupled seismic response analyses since it operates in the time domain. The analytical formulation is fully described and the calibration and the physical meaning of the model parameters are analysed in detail. Simple applications show the practical usefulness of the model with respect to other literature approaches.