Numerical Investigation of Wave-Induced Residual Liquefaction: Model Calibration and Experimental Validation

Understanding liquefaction, especially residual liquefaction, poses critical challenges to the design and stability of offshore structures, because wave-induced liquefied soil can compromise structural integrity and reduce operational lifespans. This study presents a numerical modeling approach to simulate residual liquefaction in offshore environments under wave-soil interaction (WSI). It aims to capture key stages of liquefaction, e.g., pore pressure generation, onset of liquefaction, compaction, and dissipation in a holistic model. A comprehensive calibration and sensitivity analysis is conducted, focusing on key soil properties such as relative density, permeability, elastic modulus, and additional mudline effects, as well as numerical parameters, e.g., mesh and time step. The model is further validated using large-scale experimental data (1:15 scale) for WSI. The calibrated and validated numerical model effectively captures the magnitude and temporal trend of key liquefaction phases, including pore pressure progression from the mudline toward the permeable base, and compaction and dissipation phases from the permeable base toward the mudline. Deviations in peak pressure, P max, remain within 10% across most depths beneath the mudline, with slight discrepancies observed at shallower depths.