Evaluation of Liquefaction-Induced Lateral Spreading in the Midwest

The Central United States is home to several seismically active regions: the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone, the South Central Illinois Seismic Zone, and the New Madrid Seismic Zone. All three of these regions are capable of inducing large ground motion throughout the Mississippi Valley and along the eastern border of Missouri. This has been supported by many paleoseismic studies conducted throughout the region, which have identified numerous instances of liquefaction phenomena. The fluvial deposition process associated with the Mississippi river valley makes it a prime location for possible liquefaction and lateral spreading effects. However, there are few studies pertaining to lateral spreading phenomena in this region. The content of this document investigates the current state-of-practice in lateral spreading estimation and determines an evaluation process adequate for the specific needs of the Midwest. A bridge site along the Mississippi River, the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge, is evaluated for lateral spreading and recommendations for the applicability of the process to the Midwest are made.