Assessment of soil liquefaction potential and comparison of soil improvement methods for the city center of Elazığ

In this thesis, the results of field and laboratory experiments and the data report obtained from the boreholes drilled in different neighborhoods in Elazığ city center were used. In the range of 1,50 m - 20,00 m, liquefaction potentials of soil layers, soil classes and SPT test results were prepared according to the criteria of Turkey Building Earthquake Code (TBEC-2018) using Excel program. Afterwards, using Vs30 (m/sec) values obtained from geophysical test results, liquefaction analysis was performed in these neighborhoods with 22 earthquake records belonging to 11 earthquake magnitudes in DEEPSOIL program and the obtained results were compared. It was observed that adverse conditions such as liquefaction due to earthquake loads may occur in soils interacting with water. As a result of the study, necessary ground improvement methods are proposed for areas where liquefaction is expected. Considering the geographical location of Elazığ province and the supply of machinery and equipment used for soil improvement works, it was determined that the most economical ground improvement method to eliminate the risk of liquefaction is jet grouting. Considering the suitability of the ground to be improved for the relevant equipment, it is recommended that the jet grouting method should be prioritized to reduce or eliminate liquefaction risks. In cases where this method is not economically feasible, deep mixing followed by retrofitting using piles (reinforced and unreinforced) should be preferred.