ABSTRACT
This study investigates the dynamic response of poorly graded sand collected from the Indus River basin in Leh, Ladakh. The Leh region lies in Seismic Zone-IV (IS-1893-2016) with a high risk of strong ground motions. The friction angle of the sand at the in-situ density was 30°. Stress-controlled cyclic triaxial tests were performed to determine the cyclic resistance ratio (CRR) of the sand at a relative density of 50%. The CRR was determined to be 0.27. The excess pore water pressure and cyclic stress-strain behavior revealed the sand to be highly contractive, resulting in high susceptibility to liquefaction during ground shaking. The results from the current study reveal that proper care should be taken while designing civil engineering facilities in the seismically active region of Leh. Shallow water table, granular soil deposits, and high seismicity make the region highly susceptible to earthquake liquefaction and related failures.
