Bibliometric and Experimental Insights into Soil Liquefaction under Cyclic Loading in High-Seismicity Regions (1980–2025)

Abstract

Soil liquefaction induced by cyclic loading represents one of the most critical geotechnical hazards affecting infrastructure resilience during earthquakes and dynamic loading events. Over the past decades, extensive research has been conducted to understand liquefaction mechanisms, assessment methods, and mitigation strategies. However, a systematic evaluation of the intellectual structure and long-term evolution of this research field remains limited.

This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of global scientific publications related to liquefaction potential under cyclic loading over the period 1980–2025. Bibliographic data were extracted from the Scopus database using predefined search criteria to ensure transparency and reproducibility. Quantitative performance analysis and science mapping techniques were applied to identify publication growth patterns, leading authors, institutional collaborations, influential journals, and emerging research themes.

Results reveal a sharp increase in research output since 2015, peaking around 2025, with Earth and Planetary Sciences (41.6%) and Engineering (25.2%) as dominant disciplines. The United States emerges as the central collaboration hub, linking major producers including China, India, and European nations. Co-citation networks highlight foundational contributions from Obermeier on paleoseismic liquefaction features, Boulanger-Idriss on triggering procedures, and Moss et al. on CPT-based assessment, while keyword co-occurrence identifies three core themes: laboratory cyclic testing, seismic hazard analysis, and geological evidence.

To illustrate a gap identified in the bibliometric analysis, namely the limited representation of Mediterranean natural sands, cyclic triaxial tests were performed on a natural Algerian coastal sand under Kobe-equivalent loading conditions (CSR = 0.69). Results show density-dependent pore-pressure build-up and liquefaction resistance consistent with dominant laboratory research trends identified bibliometrically.

The combined bibliometric–experimental framework provides an integrated understanding of the intellectual structure, thematic evolution, and physical behaviour governing liquefaction research, highlighting future directions toward probabilistic and data-driven assessment approaches.