Study of Electromagnetic-Induced Liquefaction Mitigation and Alteration of the Hydraulic Conductivity of Coarse-Grained Soils

In this study, the effect of radio-frequency (RF) waves on the generation of excess pore-water pressure (EPWP), and hydraulic conductivity of coarse-grained soils is examined. Apparent viscosity of water can change due to the oscillation of dipole molecules within an alternating electric field. Altering the viscosity alters the hydraulic conductivity and can, hence, minimize the buildup of the EPWP. Constant-head permeability tests were performed to measure the hydraulic conductivity of two types of samples, glass beads and natural sand with / without RF waves. Impact tests were performed on a box made of Plexiglas to measure the EPWP of glass-bead samples. Different sets of tests were conducted to evaluate the effect of RF waves' power and frequency. The results showed a positive correlation between the RF waves power and hydraulic-conductivity alteration whereas no change was observed in the generation of EPWP.