Evaluation of soil liquefaction potential with a holistic approach: a case study from Araklı (Trabzon, Turkey)

This study focuses on demonstrating how a holistic approach based on geophysical, geotechnical, and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) methods in a region where urban development is intense will crucially contribute to the assessment of liquefaction potential. The liquefaction potential of the coastal part of the Araklı district of Trabzon has been evaluated. First, earthquake scenarios for different magnitudes, which may affect the study area, were produced. Maximum acceleration values to use in liquefaction analysis were calculated from the scenarios. Second, geophysical data were collected using seismic refraction, multichannel analysis of surface waves, electrical resistivity tomography, and ambient vibrations measures. In addition, results of standard penetration test were taken from the drillings in the region. The liquefaction potential using these data was also determined by ANN. The results show that the studied area has a serious risk of liquefaction and the more reliable liquefaction estimates are performed in the study area with the holistic approach. The results of this study will be of great importance for taking necessary measures in constructing engineering projects in the region, especially along the coastline.