Consolidation

Consolidation Test

settlement Increment of load

dial gauge
Topcap

water confining
ring

sample porous stone

Oedometer/Consolidometer
2
 Consolidation Test
Test procedure - IS:2720 (Part XV)—1986]:

Seating pressure -5 kN/m2

Pressure variation

25, 50,100,200,400, 800 and 1600 kN/m2.

Dial gauge readings at

1/4, 1/2, 1,2,4, 8, 15, 30, 60, 120, 240, 480 and 1440
minutes

3
e-log p FIELD CURVES FOR NORMALLY CONSOLIDATED
AND OVERCONSOLIDATED CLAYS
Terzaghi’s One Dimensional
Consolidation Theory

36
Consolidation of a clay sample with double drainage
 Assumptions

1. The soil is homogeneous

2. The soil is completely saturated (S = 100%).

3. The soil grains and water are virtually incompressible

4. The compression is one-dimensional (u varies with z only).

5. The flow of water in the soil voids is one-dimensional, Darcy’s

law being valid.
38
Average degree of consolidation
Example
 Methods for determination of Cv

 Square root of time method

 Logarithmic time method

 Square Root of Time Fitting Method

This method was devised by Taylor (1948). In this method, the dial readings are plotted against
the square root of time as given in Fig.
 Logarithm of Time Fitting Method
This method was proposed by Casagrande and Fadum
(1940). The relationship between compression dial reading
and the logarithm of time of a consolidation test is plotted