A simplified method is presented for evaluating liquefaction potential of sand deposits using shear wave velocity. Effectiveness of the proposed method is evaluated through field tests at 17 sites in Niigata city where field performance during the 1964 Niigata earthquake is known. A modified version of steady state Rayleigh wave method is used in which the amplitude ratio between vertical and horizontal ground surface motions can be measured in addition to the phase velocity. Based on the measured phase velocity vs. wavelength relationship, shear wave velocity profile is determined using an inverse analysis. The liquefaction potential of each site is then evaluated using the shear wave velocity. The estimated results are reasonably consistent with the actual field behavior during the earthquake, indicating that the proposed method is effective
