1557731388-Consol-Sivakugan (2) .Pps

Consolidation of Clays
N. Sivakugan
Duration: 17 minutes
1
What is Consolidation?
When a saturated clay is loaded externally,
GL
saturated clay
the water is squeezed out of the clay over a long time

(due to low permeability of the clay).
SIVA Copyright©2001 2
What is Consolidation?
This leads to settlements occurring over a long time,

settlement
time
which could be several years.
In granular soils…
Granular soils are freely drained, and thus the

settlement is instantaneous.
settlement
time
During consolidation…
Due to a surcharge q applied at the GL,

the stresses and pore pressures are increased at A.
q kPa
..and, they vary
GL
 with time.
u
A
’
saturated clay
During consolidation…
 remains the same (=q) during consolidation.
u decreases (due to drainage) while ’ increases,
transferring the load from water to the soil.
q kPa 
u
GL
 ’
u
A
’
saturated clay q
One Dimensional Consolidation
~ drainage and deformations are vertical (none laterally)

~ a simplification for solving consolidation problems
q kPa
GL
water squeezed out

reasonable
simplification if the
saturated clay surcharge is of
large lateral extent
H -e Relation
H
average vertical strain =
Ho
q kPa
GL q kPa
H
GL
Ho
saturated clay
saturated clay
e = eo
e = eo - e
Time = 0+ Time = 
H -e Relation
Consider an element where Vs = 1 initially.
e
eo
Time = 0+ Time = 
e
average vertical strain =
1  eo
H -e Relation
Equating the two expressions for average
vertical strain,
consolidation change in void ratio

settlement
H e

Ho 1  eo
initial thickness of initial void ratio

clay layer
Coefficient of volume compressibility
~ denoted by mv
~ is the volumetric strain in a clay element per

unit increase in stress no units
change in volume

original volume V
i.e.,
mv  V

kPa-1 or MPa-1 kPa or MPa
Consolidation Test
~ simulation of 1-D field consolidation in lab.
GL
porous stone
undisturbed soil
specimen metal ring
Dia = 50-75 mm (oedometer)
Height = 20-30 mm
field lab
Consolidation Test
loading in increments
allowing full consolidation before next increment
q1 q2
H1
Ho e o eo- e1
H1
e1  (1  eo ) e2 
Ho
Consolidation Test
unloading
e – log v’ plot
- from the above data
loading
void ratio
v’ increases &

e decreases
unloading
v’ decreases &
e increases (swelling)
log v’
Compression and recompression indices
Cr
1
void ratio
Cc ~ compression index
Cc
Cr ~ recompression index 1
(or swelling index)
Cr
1
log v’
Preconsolidation pressure
is the maximum
vertical effective
stress the soil
void ratio
element has
ever been
subjected to
 p’ log v’
preconsolidation pressure
SIVA Copyright©2001
Virgin Consolidation Line
original
state
virgin consolidation line
eo
void ratio
eo, vo’
vo’ p’ log v’

Overconsolidation ratio (OCR)
original
state
virgin consolidation line
eo
void ratio
vo’
 p'
OCR 
 vo '
Field
vo’ p’ log v’
Overconsolidation ratio (OCR)
VCL
~current state OCR=1

OCR=13 Normally
consolidated
void ratio clay
OCR=2
OCR=13
Heavily
overconsolidated clay OCR=2
Slightly
overconsolidated clay
log v’
More to come…
Settlement computations
Two different ways to estimate the

consolidation settlement:
q kPa
(a) using mv
settlement = mv  H
=q
H
(b) using e-log v’ plot

next slide
eo, vo’, Cc, e
Cr, p’, mv settlement  H
-oedometer 1  eo
SIVA Copyright©2001test
~ computing e using e-log v’ plot
If the clay is normally consolidated,

the entire loading path is along the VCL.
initial
eo
 vo '  '
e  Cc log
e
 vo '
vo’ vo’+ 
If the clay is overconsolidated, and remains so by

the end of consolidation,
 vo '  '
e  Cr log
 vo '
initial
eo
e
note the use of Cr
VCL
vo’ vo’+ 
If an overconsolidated clay becomes normally

consolidated by the end of consolidation,
 p'  vo '  '

e  Cr log  Cc log
initial
 vo '  p'
eo
e
VCL
vo’ p’ vo’+ 
Preloading
Preloading at West Kowloon Expressway, Hong Kong.

(5-10 m embankments for 2-5 months)
Preloading
Piezometers measure pore pressures and thus
indicate when the consolidation is over.
Preloading
Cross section of PVD
Installation
Prefabricated Vertical Drains to Accelerate Consolidation

Prefabricated Vertical Drains
Installation of PVDs

1557731388-Consol-Sivakugan (2) .Pps

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

1557731388-Consol-Sivakugan (2) .Pps

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Consolidation of Clays

When a saturated clay is loaded externally,

the water is squeezed out of the clay over a long time

This leads to settlements occurring over a long time,

which could be several years.

Granular soils are freely drained, and thus the

Due to a surcharge q applied at the GL,

~ drainage and deformations are vertical (none laterally)

water squeezed out

Consider an element where Vs = 1 initially.

consolidation change in void ratio

initial thickness of initial void ratio

~ is the volumetric strain in a clay element per

~ simulation of 1-D field consolidation in lab.

v’ increases &

vo’ p’ log v’

~current state OCR=1

Two different ways to estimate the

(b) using e-log v’ plot

If the clay is normally consolidated,

If the clay is overconsolidated, and remains so by

If an overconsolidated clay becomes normally

 p'  vo '  '

Preloading at West Kowloon Expressway, Hong Kong.

Cross section of PVD

Prefabricated Vertical Drains to Accelerate Consolidation

You might also like