Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Soil Mechanics
CIVL-340
Lab Session

Consolidation

Eng. Noura Al Tamimi

 Consolidation

Objective: To determine the magnitude and rate of volume decreased when a

soil specimen is subjected to different vertical pressures
Significance
• Estimate the magnitude of the rate of primary and secondary consolidation
settlements
• Key importance in the design of engineered structures and the evaluation of their
performance

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 Consolidation

Procedure:

2 cycles:
1. Loading (1,2, 4, 8,16 kg)
2. Unloading (8,4,2,1 kg)
• 24 hrs per load

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https://www.vjtech.co.uk/blog/consolidation-testing-an-introduction
 Consolidation
Calculations
Hi 0.78

Time Dial reading Thickness Thickness

(min) (in) (in) (mm)

0 0

0.16 0.0067

0.42 0.0069

0.83 0.0071
Convert from inches
to mm
1 0.0077

2 0.0084

4 0.0095

8 0.0107

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 Consolidation
Calculations
D0

D 0 + D 100
𝐷5 0 = D50
2
D100
)

t50 t100
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