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Settlement & Consolidation
Settlement & Consolidation
1 1
Combining and rearranging gives
e
e
AH
eV SA V
o
S
+
1
o
e
e
H S
+
1
Compression index C
c
= slope of the e-log p curve:
,
_
,
_
o
o
c
p
p p
e
p
p
e e
C
log log
1
2
2 1
,
_
+
+
o
o
o
c
p
p p
e
H C
S log
1
For thick clay, more accurate to divide multiple layers
Consider depth to 2B for square foundation (BxB) or 4B for strip foundations
(BxL), B is the width
Compression vs. Swell Index
normally consolidated clays (p
c
= p
o
+ p)
( ) ( )
( )
,
_
+
+
i o
i i o
o
i c
p
p p
e
H C
S log
1
overconsolidated clay (p
c
p
o
+ p) use the Swell Index (C
s
)
,
_
+
+
o
o
o
s
p
p p
e
H C
S log
1
NOTE: use of C
c
vice C
s
is conservative
most marine soils are overconsolidated - sedimentation increases the surcharge on
the soil, but subsequent erosion removes much of the load
underconsolidated clay (p
c
p
o
+ p) (RARE CONDITION)
,
_
+
+
+
,
_
c
o
o
c
o
c
o
S
p
p p
e
H C
p
p
e
H C
S log
1
log
1
(partially on both curves)
Good
condition!
If the e-log p plot is known, can simply find e over the appropriate range of
pressures and use
o
e
e
H S
+
1
(works for all conditions)
Compression index determination
1. Graphically from laboratory e-log p plot, use "virgin compression curve" (i.e.
straight line portion of the curve)
2. Rendon-Herrero (1983)
38 . 2
2 . 1
1
141 . 0
,
_
s
o
s c
G
e
G C
3. Nagaraj and Murty (1985)
( )
s c
G
LL
C
1
]
1
100
%
2343 . 0
Swell Index determined from lab tests, generally
C C S
C C C
5
1
10
1
to
Time Rate of Consolidation
Derivation assumptions
1. Homogeneous clay-water system
2. Saturated
3. Water and soil grains are incompressible
4. Flow of water is unidirectional and in the direction of consolidation
5. Darcy's law assumed - ik v , v = discharge velocity, k = coeff of
permeability, i = hydraulic gradient,
L h i
2H
dr
clay
sand
sand
z
h = u/
w
p
dx
dy
dz
v
z
dxdy
[v
z
+ (dv
z
/dz)dz]dxdy
[rate of water outflow] - [rate of water inflow] = [rate of change of volume]
restrict flow to vertical (z) direction (assumption 4)
t
V
dxdy v dxdy dz
z
v
v
z
z
z
,
_
+
t
V
dxdydz
z
v
z
since
h u
w
combining gives
t
V
dxdydz z
u k
w
1
2
2
during settlement
( )
t
e
e
dxdydz
t
eV V
t
V
t
V
o
S S v
1
, since 0
t
V
S
and
o o
S
e
dxdydz
e
V
V
+
1 1
t
e
e z
u k
o w
1
1
2
2
assume that the decrease in void ratio is proportional to the increase in effective stress (or
the decrease in pore pressure)
u a e
v
, a
v
= coeff. of compressibility
define the coeff. of volume compressibility
o
v
v
e
a
m
+
1
t
u
m
z
u k
v
w
2
2
, define coeff. of consolidation
v w
v
m
k
c
t
u
c
z
u
v
2
2
,
solving gives a time factor
2
dr
v
v
H
t c
T
estimate m
v
from e-log p plot at appropriate pressures,
p
e
e
m
av
v
1
1
,
2
2 1
e e
e
av
+
,
_
v
v
T
T
U
and
357 . 0
6 . 5
2
100
%
1
100
%
4
1
1
]
1
,
_
,
_
,
_
U
U
T
v