Liquefaction Potential of Surficial Deposits in the City of Buffalo, New York

Keywords: Geotechnical Studies, Liquefaction Potential, Buffalo, New York, Earthquake Effects, Geology, Seismic Risk Assessment, Soil Studies, and United States.

Abstract: The potential for earthquake-induced liquefaction of cohesionless sediments in Buffalo, New York was calculated from geotechical data using a probabilistic method. The essential geotechnical data used were the standard penetration number, the depth of ground water and the grain size of the soils. Although the selected area of this study (approximately 48 square miles) has a moderate amount of seismic activity, it was found that the probability of liquefaction is generally less than 10 percent for a peak ground acceleration of 0.15 g. An area about 2 square miles trapped between Lake Erie and the Buffalo River, however, was found to have a moderate potential (probability 10-50 percent) for liquefaction.