Faculty: Civil and Environmental Engineering

Department: Geotechnical and Transportation Engineering

Title: Consolidation Test

Objective:

To determine the consolidation characteristics low permeability soils.

Learning Outcome:

At the end of this experiment, students are able to:

- Conduct one dimensional consolidation test

- Identify the factors causes soil consolidation
- Determine the consolidation parameters ( CV, mV, CC, PC)

Theory:

When a fully saturated soil is compressed with stress, the volume will decrease because of the
soil grains are compacted and reduce the void volume. The void volume occupied by water will
then lost and cause escape of water.

For the clay case, the movement of water is very slow because of its low permeability. Time
needed for the test might be long or it required excess water to break the permeable boundary.

Settlement is the result of soil volume decreasing while the consolidation means the rate of
volume decreasing with time. The test is use to estimate the amount of settlement and time of
consolidation. From this test some consolidation parameters:

- Coefficient of Consolidation (CV),

- Coefficient of volume compressibility (mV),
- Compression Index (CC),
- Pre-consolidation pressure (PC)

Two methods for determining the coefficient of consolidation:

i) Casagrande or log (time) or 50% consolidation

ii) Taylor or time or 90% consolidation

Coefficient of consolidation can be determined by this equation,

Tv H 2
cv
t
Where, CV = coefficient of consolidation (m2/year)
TV = Time factor
H = Maximum length of drainage path (m)
t = Time to achieve 50% or 90% consolidation (year or minute)

Square Root Time (minute)

0 5 t90 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
0

5
Settlement (mm)

10

15

20
x

25 1.15x
2
1
30

Figure 3.1: Settlement versus log Time

Time (minute)
0.1 1 t50 10 100 1000 10000
0% consolidation line
0
20

40
Settlement (mm)

A
60 50% consolidation line

80
B = 4A
100
120 100% consolidation line

140
160

Figure 3.2: Settlement versus square root time

Test Equipments:

1. Consolidation Apparatus
- Consolidation Ring
- Corrosion Resistant Porous Plate
- Consolidation Cell
- Dial Gauge
- Loading Device
2. Balance readable to 0.1g
3. Vernier Caliper
4. Stop Clock readable to 1s

Procedures:

1. The internal diameter and height of ring is measures with vernier calliper.
2. Mass of ring is weighed to nearest 0.01g (mR).
3. Two specimens of peat soil is compacted and filled into the ring.
4. Initial moisture content is determined from trimming soil.
5. The weight of ring and specimen (m1) is weighed and recorded.
6. The mass of bulk specimen (m) is weighed to the nearest 0.01g using this equation.

m = m 1 - mR

7. Consolidation ring with soil specimen is placed centrally on the porous disc.
8. Ring retainer and cell body is fitted and then place the upper porous disc centrally on
the top of the specimen.
9. The consolidation cell is then placed centrally in position on the platform of the machine
base.
10. End of beam is lifted to allow the loading yoke to be raised to the vertical position and
adjust the loading stem by screwing downward until the end engages closely in the
recess on the top of the loading cap.
11. The compression dial gauge is attached to the arm on the support post.
12. Weight of 2.0kg is added carefully to the load hanger for one specimen and 5kg for
another specimen.
 13. Water in room temperature is added to the cell and make sure that the specimen and
upper porous disc are completely submerged.
14. Beam support is let downs and starts the stop watch simultaneously.
15. Compression gauge readings is observed and recorded in selected time.
16. Graph of reading of the compression against time to a logarithmic scale and against
square root time is plotted.

Result:

1) 2kg Load

CONSOLIDATION TEST CALCULATION SHEET

Date started: 5 October 2011 Sample No.: 1

Soil Type: Peat soil Cell No: 2kg load

BEFORE TEST

Moisture content from trimming: 23.5(%) S.G. (Assumed) : 2.7

Weight of ring : 322.5 (g)
Weight of sample + ring: 416.3 (g)
Weight of sample : 93.8 (g)
Weight of dry sample: 82.5 (g)
Weight of initial moisture: 11.3 (g)
Initial moisture content: 13.7 (%)
Initial void ratio, = 1.909
Diameter of ring : 74.9 (mm)
Area of ring: 4406 (mm2)
Thickness of ring: 20.18 (mm)
Volume of ring : 88914.927 (mm3)
Density, : 1.05 (Mg/m3)
Dry density: 0.928 (Mg/m3)

SETTLEMENT READINGS

hr min sec Time(min) time Clock Gauge Cumulative

time reading compression,
H (mm)
0 0 0 3.00pm 0 0
10 0.17 0.41 390 0.790
20 0.33 0.57 401 0.802
30 0.50 0.71 409 0.818
40 0.67 0.82 415 0.83
 50 0.83 0.91 419 0.838
1 1 1.00 3.01pm 424 0.848
2 2 1.41 3.02pm 439 0.878
4 4 2.00 3.04pm 455 0.910
8 8 2.83 3.08pm 472 0.944
15 15 3.87 3.15pm 487 0.974
30 30 5.48 3.30pm 505 1.010
1 60 7.75 4.00pm 522 1.044

2) 5kg Load
CONSOLIDATION TEST CALCULATION SHEET

Date started: 5 October 2011 Sample No.: 2

Soil Type: Peat soil Cell No: 5kg load

BEFORE TEST

Moisture content from trimming: 23.5(%) S.G. (Assumed) : 2.7

Weight of ring : 312.5 (g)
Weight of sample + ring: 392.0 (g)
Weight of sample : 79.5 (g)
Weight of dry sample: 69.6 (g)
Weight of initial moisture: 9.9 (g)
Initial moisture content: 14.22 (%)
Initial void ratio, = 2.45
Diameter of ring : 74.9 (mm)
Area of ring: 4406 (mm2)
Thickness of ring: 19.52 (mm)
Volume of ring : 88914.927 (mm3)
Density, : 0.890 (Mg/m3)
Dry density : 0.783 (Mg/m3)

SETTLEMENT READINGS

hr min sec Time(min) time Clock Gauge Cumulative

time reading compression,
H (mm)
0 0 0 3.00pm 0 0
10 0.17 0.41 690 1.38
20 0.33 0.57 720 1.44
30 0.50 0.71 750 1.50
 40 0.67 0.82 765 1.53
50 0.83 0.91 778 1.56
1 1 1.00 3.01pm 788 1.58
2 2 1.41 3.02pm 825 1.65
4 4 2.00 3.04pm 864 1.73
8 8 2.83 3.08pm 963 1.93
15 15 3.87 3.15pm 994 1.99
30 30 5.48 3.30pm 1024 2.05
1 60 7.75 4.00pm 1058 2.12

Analysis Data:

For 2kg load,

Weight of sample = [Weight of sample + ring] - Weight of ring

= 416.3 g 322.5 g
= 93.8 g

Weight of initial moisture

Initial moisture content =
Weight of dry sample
11.3
=
82.5
= 13.70 %

Volume r 2 h
74.9 2
( ) (19.52)
2
88914.927mm3
 Weight of sample
Density =
Volume of ring
93.8g
=
8.89 10 -5 m
= 1.055 Mg m -3

S.G
Initial void ratio = -1
Dry density
2.7
= -1
0.928
= 1.909

There are two methods for determining the coefficient of consolidation:

(i) Casagrande or log (time) or 50% consolidation

(ii) Taylor or time or 90% consolidation

The coefficient of consolidation can be determined by this equation,

Tv H 2
cv
t

Where, cv = coefficient of consolidation (m2/year)

Tv = Time factor
H = Maximum length of drainage path (m)
t = Time to achieve 50% or 90% consolidation (year or minute)

Discussion:

Soil specimens prepared should be compacted well and same in the ring, so that it will not give
a result of consolidation in big differ since the type of soil used is same. During the weighing of
sample, the scale must not be surrounded with disturbance (included wind from fan and
window) because the sensitivity of scale used is 0.01g. The loading stem should be ensured
truly horizontal with bubble pond system before released and subjected to the soil specimen.
This is to prevent external load applied on the sample.

High consolidation rate is due to the high volume of void whether is occupied by water or air.
When the soil is applied to stress such as structure in the real practice, the soil particles are
compacted and void reduced. If the saturated soil if applied with load, the water will resist the
load initially but after been applied to load water is squeeze from sample. It is the same
concept as the Spring Analogy where the spring represents the soil and assisted with water to
resist stress.

After a moment of the soil is free of stress, it will rebound back and contains void and higher in
volume compared to compacted volume. This is cause by the air and water occupied the void
volume again.
Question:

QUESTIONS 1
1) From your experimental data, determine the coefficient of consolidation, cv (m2/year)
using Casagrande Method. Please comment your answer.

For t50;

Tv H 2 (0.848)(10 x10 3 m) 2
cv 0.94 x10 4 m 2 / min
t (0.90 min)

2) A Clay sample collected from 5 metres deep in Batu Pahat has a unit weight of 18
kN/m3. The following data were recorded during an oedometer test.
Effective Stress
25 50 100 200 400 800 200 50
(kN/m2)
Void ratio (e) 0.85 0.82 0.71 0.57 0.43 0.3 0.4 0.5

(i) Plot the graph of void ratio against effective stress on semi-log graph and determine the
compression index (Cc), Preconsolidation pressure (Pc) and coefficient of volume
compressibility (mv).
Compression index (Cc) = 0.3124

The compression index (Cc) is the slope of the graph

Cc = gradient of the graph
e e
1 2
P
log 2
P1
1.20 0.40

1100
log
11
0.400

Preconsolidation pressure (Pc) = 73kN/m2

From graph, we obtained:
Pre-consolidation pressure, Pc=73kN/m2

Coefficient of volume compressibility (mv) = 0.256

 e 1
Coefficient of volume compressibility, mv=
1 eavg
'

e
Slope of the graph
'
e e
eavg 1 s
2
0.76 0.42

2
0.59

e 1
mv
1 eavg
'

1
(0.40)
1 0.59
0.256

(ii) Define whether the soil is normally consolidated or over consolidated.

d = 5m, =18 kNm3
Po d
5m 18kNm3
90kNm2

Over consolidation, OCR

P
C
PO
73

90
0.811 1

Since, OCR<1, the soil is under consolidated. It means that the stress had been applied to the
sample of soil previously is less than the stress applied during that test.
QUESTIONS 2
1) From the experimental data , determine the coefficient of consolidation, cv (m2/year) using
Taylor Method. Please comment your answer.
H 0 H ring
20.18mm
H 2.40mm
H final H 0 H
20.18 2.40
17.78mm

H 0 H final
H ( av)
2
20.18 17.78

2
18.98mm
0.01898m

0.848( H av ) 2
Cv
4t 90
0.848(0.01898) 2

1.30
2.301 10 4 m 2 / min
120.91m 2 / year
2) Clay samples collected from 10 metres deep in Parit Raja has a unit weight of 20 kN/m3.
The following data were recorded during an oedometer test.
Effective Stress
50 100 200 400 800 1600 400 100
(kN/m2)
Void ratio (e) 0.95 0.92 0.81 0.67 0.53 0.4 0.5 0.6

(i) Plot the graph of void ratio against effective stress on semi-log graph and determine
the
compression index (Cc), Preconsolidation pressure (Pc) and coefficient of volume
compressibility (mv).
The compression index (Cc) is the slope of the graph
Cc = gradient of the graph
Compression index (Cc) = 0.256

The compression index (Cc) is the slope of the graph

Cc = gradient of the graph
e e
1 2
P
log 2
P1
1.1 0.60

1800
log
20
0.256

Preconsolidation pressure (Pc) = 136 kN/m2

From graph, we obtained:
Pre-consolidation pressure, Pc=136 kN/m2

Coefficient of volume compressibility (mv) = 0.156

Conclusion:

In the real practice of construction, consolidation test is important to determine the rate of
settlement of the soil on site. Settlement is one of the big enemy in construction and
harmful to safety. If stress is applied to the soft soil with big bulk volume, the soil particles
will packed tightly. If the soil is saturated with water, the water will squeeze out from the
void and the magnitude of consolidation can be identified through out many tests.

Reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consolidation_%28soil%29