CVNG 2009

SOIL MECHANICS II

Lecture 2
Consolidation

Craig’s Soil Mechanics

by J.A. Knappett & R.F. Craig, 8th ed, Spon Press, 2012
 Consolidation
Main Goals: In this chapter we calculate ground settlements as
a function of time due to consolidation.

Course Outcomes:
- Understand the behavior of soil during consolidation
(drainage of pore water pressure), and determine the
mechanical properties which characterize this behavior
from laboratory testing
- Calculate ground settlements as function of time due to
consolidation both analytically & using computer-based
tools for more complex problems
- Design a remedial scheme of vertical drains to speed-up
consolidation & meet specified performance criteria
 Consolidation
Contents
1. Oedometer Test
2. Consolidation Settlement
3. Degree of Consolidation
4. Terzaghi’s Theory of 1-D Consolidation
5. Determination of Coefficient of Consolidation
6. Vertical Drains
7. Pre-loading
 Introduction
• Consolidation: gradual reduction in volume of a fully saturated soil
of low permeability due to change of effective stress
• Consolidation settlement: vertical displacement of the soil surface
corresponding to the volume change at any stage of the
consolidation process
• Swelling: (reverse of consolidation) gradual increase in volume of
a soil under negative excess pore water pressure
• Heave: upward displacement

This chapter is concerned with the prediction of both the magnitude

and the rate of consolidation settlement under one-dimensional
conditions (i.e. where the soil deforms only in the vertical direction)
 Degree of Consolidation
• Degree of consolidation:

- If the e-σ΄ curve is assumed to be linear

 Terzaghi’s Theory of 1-D Consolidation
• Assumptions in the theory
1) Homogeneous soil
2) Fully saturated
3) The solid particles & water are incompressible
4) Compression & flow are 1-D (vertical)
5) Small strains
6) Darcy’s law is valid
7) The coefficients of permeability & volume compressibility
remain constant
8) Unique relationship, independent of time, between void ratio &
effective stress
Considering the condition of continuity

where
• Solution of the consolidation equation
1) Initial condition:
2) Boundary condition:

3) Sol. for excess pore water pressure at z & t

where
4) Degree of consolidation at z & t

5) Average degree of consolidation (curve 1)

6) Empirical Eq.

7) If ui is not constant, the average degree of consolidation

• Relationships between average degree of consolidation & time
factor
 Determination of Coefficient of Consolidation
A0 - initial
• The log time method As - start of consolidation
A100 - 100% consolidation
Af - final
• The root time method

AC=1.15AB
• Compression ratios
1) Initial compression ratio:

2) Primary compression ratio (log time):

3) Primary compression ratio (root time):

4) Secondary compression ratio:

Example 4.3
Correction for Construction Period
Assumption:
(1) Net load is applied
uniformly over the time
tc
(2) Degree of consolidation
at time tc is the same as
if the load P′ had been
acting as a constant
load for the period
1/2tc. Thus the
settlement at any time
during the construction
period is equal to that
occurring for
instantaneous loading at
half that time
Example 4.5
Example 4.6
 Problem 4.3
The following results were obtained from an oedometer test on
a specimen of saturated clay:

A layer of this clay 8 m thick lies below a 4 m depth of sand,

the water table being at the surface. The saturated unit weight
for both soils is 19 kN/m3. A 4-m depth of fill of unit weight
21 kN/m3 is placed on the sand over an extensive area.
Determine the final settlement due to consolidation of the clay.
If the fill were to be removed some time after the completion
of consolidation, what heave would eventually take place due
to swelling of the clay?
 Problem 4.4
Assuming the fill in Problem 4.3 is dumped very rapidly, what
would be the value of excess pore water pressure at the centre
of the clay layer after a period of three years? The layer is
open and the value of cv is 2.4 m2/year.
 Problem 4.5
A 10-m depth of sand overlies an 8-m layer of clay, below
which is a further depth of sand. For the clay, mv = 0.83
m2/MN and cv = 4.4 m2/year. The water table is at surface
level but is to be lowered permanently by 4 m, the initial
lowering taking place over a period of 40 weeks. Calculate the
final settlement due to consolidation of the clay, assuming no
change in the weight of the sand, and the settlement two years
after the start of lowering.