Seismic liquefaction potential assessment of the industrial powerhouse of India: the case study of Noida City

Assessing liquefaction potential is essential for the seismic microzonation of a certain region. This research intends to evaluate the liquefaction potential and related dangers in Noida, an industrial center in the Gautam Buddha Nagar region of Uttar Pradesh, India. The investigation examines several earthquake magnitudes, especially Mw 7.5, Mw 7.0, and a peak ground acceleration ( $$a_{\max }$$ ) of 0.24 g. The safety factor against liquefaction was assessed at various depths using data from 188 boreholes and soil samples, in accordance with the stress-based methodology. The Liquefaction Potential Index (LPI) was computed for each location. Results demonstrate that the region mostly comprises silt and sand, categorized as site class D. Four distinct zones of susceptible liquefaction potential risk have been delineated and are categorized as Low (LPI = 0), Moderate(0 < LPI ≤ 5), High (5 < LPI ≤ 15), and very high (LPI > 15) risk zones. Very high susceptibility of liquefaction is observed over 25% of the city's area, including key sectors such as SEC94, SEC128, SEC122, SEC71, and SEC22 for an earthquake event with a magnitude of 7.5. The variability in liquefaction susceptibility across the entire city is attributed to the presence of diverse lithological soil layers observed throughout the study area. This rapid approach may facilitate the future development of earthquake-resistant structures and evaluate the vulnerability of existing subterranean infrastructures, such as buried pipelines and metro rail systems, which are essential lifeline utilities for an urban area.