In order to study the liquefaction characteristics of decomposed granite soils, a series of cyclic triaxial tests was carried out. Decomposed granite soils in Kansai area have a variety of grain size distribution as well as mineral composition and therefore, their engineering properties are also diverse. The liquefaction characteristics of the decomposed granite soils are influenced by the characteristics of soil particles themselves (amount of fine particles, the average grain diameter, coefficient of uniformity), the degree of weathering (ignition loss) and the consistency characteristic (flow limit).
The test results indicate that the liquefaction characteristics of decomposed granite soils differ remarkably each other depending upon geographical conditions, and those characteristics are closely related to the consistency of the soils. The liquefaction strength can easily be estimated by two factors i. e. the consistency (Wfl) and the void ratio after consolidation.