**1. Introduction**

Seismic soil liquefaction is one of the most complicated geotechnical earthquake engineering problems due to the variability and complexity of site conditions, soil parameters and seismic parameters. All those parameters having a number of factors that cause liquefaction, all of which are of varying importance. Estimating accurate and effective soil liquefaction risks, required identification and benchmarking of the most influential factors that control soil liquefaction need to be comprehensively examined. Limited research has been conducted in the past to

identify important parameters of soil liquefaction. Dalvi et al. [1] used the Analytic Hierarchy Process and entropy methods to identify important parameters among 16 factors of soil liquefaction. Zhu [2] analyzed fifteen influencing factors of soil liquefaction by mathematical statistics method. Tang et al. [3] and Ahmad et al. [4] identified significant soil liquefaction factors by employing bibliometric and systematic literature review techniques based on standard penetration test respectively through interpretive structural modeling (ISM) approach. Most of these studies considered the quantification rather than the qualitative information of soil liquefaction factors from scientific publications.

Seismic parameter, soil parameter and site conditions contain variety of factors that trigger liquefaction and discussed in detail in Section 3. As literature review search is the first step in the ISM technique to identify the important factors and their underlying relationships. Therefore, a systematic literature review (SLR) approach is used for this purpose which is described by Okoli and Schabram [5] and Tranfield et al. [6] is used. Warfield developed the ISM method between 1971 and 1974 [7], and it is based on the pair-wise comparison theory. ISM has seen some progress in terms of applications and techniques over the years [8]. Michel Godet and François Bourse introduced the Matrice d'impacts croisés multiplication appliqués à un classement (MICMAC) method. The creation of a graph that classifies factors based on driving power and dependency power is called MICMAC.

Step 6: The reachability and antecedent sets of factors are developed from the final reachability matrix. The reachability set for a particular factor includes the factor itself and other factors which it may help to achieve, and antecedent set includes factor itself and other factors that can help in achieving it. Subsequently, the intersection of these sets is found for the entire factors. The factor for which reachability and intersection sets are identical is listed in the first level. This factor is then separated from other factors for the next iteration process. Repeat the same

**If the (***i, j***) entry in the SSIM is Entry in the initial reachability matrix**

*Elucidation of Seismic Soil Liquefaction Significant Factors*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97278*

V 1 0 A 0 1 X 1 1 O 0 0

**(***i, j***) (***j, i***)**

Step 7: Remove the transitivity links and draw a directed graph (digraph) from

Step 8: Convert the digraph into an ISM-based hierarchical model by replacing

The creation of a graph that classifies factors based on driving and dependency power is a part of the MICMAC study. To arrive at the study's findings and conclusions, MICMAC analysis is used to identify the factors and validate the interpretive

Factors are divided into four clusters based on their driving power and dependency power in MICMAC analysis. The clusters are: Cluster I: Autonomous factors —those that are relatively cut off from the rest of the system and have little or no dependency on others; Cluster II: Dependent factors—cluster II factors are primarily dependent of other factors; Cluster III: Linkage factors—the connecting factors that are unstable and have strong driving power and strong dependence power; and Cluster IV: Independent factors—these factors have weak influence from others factors and have to be paid maximum attention owing to the strong driving power.

**3.1 Interpretive structural model of seismic soil liquefaction significant factors**

thesizing the existing body of completed and recorded work published by

In the ISM technique, a first endeavor is made to ascertain the significant seismic of soil liquefaction factors from the literature using systematic literature review (SLR) approach which is recommended by Okoli and Schabram [5]. The SLR is a systematic, explicit, and reproducible method for identifying, evaluating, and syn-

Step 9: The conceptual discrepancy of model is verified and improved for

level of iteration process until all levels of each factor are established.

the final reachability matrix.

**Table 1.**

*Rules for transformation.*

the nodes with statements.

**2.2 MICMAC analysis**

structural model factors.

necessary modifications and corrections.

**3. Application to the case of illustration**

researchers, scholars, and practitioners [12].

**165**

In this chapter, ISM and MICMAC methodologies are used to establish and analyze the structural hierarchical relationship and to examine the strength of the relationship between seismic soil liquefaction significant factors based on their driving power and dependence power.
