Analytical solutions to the axisymmetric consolidation of a multi-layer soil system under surcharge combined with vacuum preloading

Surcharge combined with vacuum preloading is a common technique for accelerating the consolidation process in ground improvement. A unit cell model for the axisymmetric consolidation of a soft soil using a prefabricated vertical drain (PVD) under a surcharge, combined with vacuum preloading, is inve...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geotextiles and geomembranes 2017-10, Vol.45 (5), p.487-498
Main Authors: Zhou, Wan-Huan, Lok, Thomas Man-Hoi, Zhao, Lin-Shuang, Mei, Guo-xiong, Li, Xiao-Bo
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analytical solution
Axisymmetric consolidation
Conductivity
Consolidation
Geosynthetics
Mathematical models
Multi-layer soil system
Prefabrication
Smear
Soil layers
Soils
Surcharge combined vacuum preloading
Vertical drains
Water flow
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Summary:Surcharge combined with vacuum preloading is a common technique for accelerating the consolidation process in ground improvement. A unit cell model for the axisymmetric consolidation of a soft soil using a prefabricated vertical drain (PVD) under a surcharge, combined with vacuum preloading, is investigated in this study. Based on this model, analytical solutions for a multi-layer soil system are put forward and the explicit expressions for two-layer and one-layer systems are presented. The accuracy of the proposed solution is verified using an analytical solution available in the literature. In the parametric study, the influencing factors on the consolidation process, such as, the smear zone, the PVD spacing, the hydraulic conductivity in the radial direction, the coefficient of vacuum decrease, are taken into account. The water flow in the radial direction plays an important role in the consolidation process while the impact of the vertical flow mainly develops around the interfaces between two adjacent layers. In addition, the proposed analytical solution is applied in a case history with three different layers and the results are reasonable.
ISSN:0266-1144
1879-3584
DOI:10.1016/j.geotexmem.2017.06.003