1/14
Determining the Coefficient of Consolidation and Horizontal
Permeability by Radial Drainage
Mesure du coefficient de consolidation et de la perméabilité horizontale par drainage radial
by V. E s c a r io , Ing. C .C .P ., M .S ., H ea d o f th e Soil M echanics D e p a rtm e n t a t th e L a b o ra to rio del tra n s p o rte y M eca-
nica del Suelo, A lfo n so X II, 3. M a d rid
an d S. U r ie l , Ing. C .C .P ., o f said C enter
Summary
The anisotropy of natural clay deposits is due to the
presence of some thin layers having a higher perm eability
which increases the coefficient of horizontal perm eability as
com pared with the vertical one.
The authors describe radial perm eability tests and their
standardisation undertaken by the Soil Mechanics L aboratory
of M adrid, using undisturbed samples having a maxim um
diameter of 4 inches of various heights from H uelva blue clay.
These tests were carried out in a triaxial equipm ent with drainage
only tow ards the cylindrical surface. D rainage was ensured by
providing a layer of micaceous sand around the sample. Seepage
towards the porous baseplates was avoided by inserting water­
proof plates between them and the soil sample.
The consolidation curve was obtained by measuring the
quantity of water expelled from the sample and by its vertical
strain. The coefficient of consolidation is derived from independent
adjustm ent of prim ary and secondary consolidations.
This type of test can be carried out more rapidly than alter­
native ones, owing to the large area of the draining surfaces :
it is therefore possible to use large test samples. These give an
improved statistical picture o f the peculiarities o f the natural
deposits. The sm earing effect caused by trim ming is also reduced.
Since a triaxial equipm ent is used, it is possible to take full
advantage of saturation by pressure in the pore water, etc.
In those problem s w here d rain ag e in tw o o r th ree d im ensions
is involved, as w ith vertical san d d rain s fo r ex am p le, th e
d eterm in atio n o f th e coefficient o f h o riz o n ta l p erm eab ility
a n d co n so lid atio n is v ery im p o rta n t. In e a rth dam s,
the higher p erm eab ility h o riz o n tally raises th e sa tu r­
atio n line co n sid erab ly , w hich reaches the d o w n stream slope
a t p oints higher th a n if th e e m b a n k m e n t w ere hom og en eo u s,
unless a d eq u ate d rain ag e is pro v id ed .
T he d eterm in atio n o f b o th coefficients o f p erm eab ility
is generally carried o u t e ith e r b y c o n so lid a tio n tests, w ith
sam ples c u t in the tw o re q u ired directions, o r in the tria x ial
equipm ent, in w hich d rain a g e is to w ard s th e p o ro u s base­
plates. A n cedom eter h a s th e d isa d v a n ta g e o f using a th in
sam ple, in w hich th e sm earin g effect c re a te d by trim m in g
will reduce the coefficient o f co n so lid a tio n . I f th e soil is
n o t very h o m ogeneous, th e sam ples m a y n o t be tru ly
rep resentative o f the deposits.
T he height o f the sam ples fo r the tria x ial test, w ith d rain ag e
tow ards the baseplates, w ould also be lim ited to a fractio n
o f the b o ring d iam eter if th e y h a v e to be trim m ed for m easu r­
ing the coefficient o f h o riz o n tal perm eab ility . T his p roblem
has been overcom e by testing w ith d rain ag e to w ard s th e cy lin ­
drical surface o f the sam ple, so th a t we can use sam ples o f
Sommaire
L ’anisotropie des dépôts naturels d ’argile, due à l ’existence
de quelques couches minces d ’une perm éabilité plus grande,
produit une augm entation du coefficient de perméabilité horizon­
tale, par rap p o rt à celui de perm éabilité verticale.
On y décrit les essais de perm éabilité radiale et leur systém a­
tisation effectués au L aboratorio del Transporte y M ecánica
del Suelo, avec des éprouvettes cylindriques m esurant ju squ’à
1016 cm (4") de diam ètre et de hauteur variable, sur des échan­
tillons non remaniés d ’argiles bleues de H uelva. On réalise
ces essais dans l’appareil triaxial avec drainage par la surface
cylindrique exclusivement. Ce type de drainage reste assuré
p ar une couche de sable micacé entourant l’échantillon. La
filtration vers les plaques poreuses des bases reste interdite en
plaçant entre celles-là et l’éprouvette des plaques im perm éables.
On obtient la courbe de consolidation en p artan t de l’eau
expulsée par l’éprouvette et de sa déform ation verticale. On
détermine le coefficient de consolidation au moyen d ’un ajuste­
ment indépendant des consolidations prim aire et secondaire.
L’avantage le plus im portant de ce type d ’essai est sa grande
rapidité p ar rap p o rt aux autres méthodes, due à l’am pleur de la
surface drainante, étant ainsi possible d’utiliser des éprouvettes
de dimensions plus grandes qui reflètent statistiquem ent, d’une
m anière plus approchée, les particularités des dépôts naturels.
Les perturbations causées par la mise en place de l’éprouvette,
sont aussi diminuées. L orsqu'on utilise l’appareil triaxial, on
peut, en même temps, profiter des avantages bien connus de la
saturation par pression de l'eau interstitielle, etc.
th e m ax im u m h eig h t tak e n b y th e cell. T h e m ax im u m dis­
tan ce follow ed by th e w ater is th e rad iu s o f th e sam ple,
p rim a ry c o n so lid a tio n b eing achieved in a c o m p a rativ ely
sh o rt tim e. V ario u s m eth o d s h av e been applied to ensure
late ra l d rain ag e, the m o st efficient being to su rro u n d th e
sam ple w ith a th in lay e r o f san d ; a ltern a tiv e m eth o d s, such
as filter strips, h a v e n o t given satisfacto ry results (R o w e ,
1959).
P erm eab ility tests w ith ra d ia l d rain ag e h av e been ca rried
o u t in the M ad rid L a b o ra to ry , w here they h a v e b een sta n ­
d ard ised b y using a lay er o f m icaceous san d h av in g a co m press­
ib ility sim ilar to th a t o f the soil being tested. T h e a u th o rs
give th e th eo retical basis fo r th e co n so lid a tio n eq u a tio n , the
a d ju stm e n t o f th e c u rv e necessary to o b ta in th e coefficient
o f c o n so lid a tio n , a n d the results o f th eir tests.
Theoretical basis for the consolidation equation
T h e follow ing a ssu m p tio n s are m ad e :
1. T he soil is n o t hom o g en eo u s so fa r as its co m p ress­
ibility is co n cern ed , À being the ra tio betw een h o riz o n ta l
a n d vertical strain u p o n a sam ple subjected to triax ial p ressure.
2. T h ere is n o frictio n betw een the sam ple a n d baseplates.
83
 3. P erm eability o f the d rain ag e lay e r is infinite w hen If we tak e
co m p ared w ith th a t o f th e soil. T h e ex istin g p ressu re o n the
k T __ C v l
surface o f th e sam ple is th erefo re eq u a l to th e atm o sp h ere y ht rt 2
p ressure. Y a inv R2
4. T he soil is satu rate d .
eq u a tio n (5) m a y b e th u s ex p ressed :
5. T h e displacem ents o f th e p o in ts o f a h o riz o n ta l plan e
a re th e sam e in th e d irectio n o f th e lo n g itu d in a l ax is o f th e
sam ple (case o f equal strain). u = 2 u0e 1+2X ( 1 - ^ 2 .... (6)
B y isolating an elem en t o f th e sam ple to a d istan ce r from
the axis (Fig. 1 (b), if we call it = u(r,t), th e p o re p ressu re at
T his e q u a tio n rep resen ts a d istrib u tio n o f p o re p ressures
a tim e t, then the difference betw een the v olum e o f w ater
in th e fo rm o f a p a ra b o lo id (Fig. 2) w ith a m ax im u m in the
flow ing in to a n d o u t o f the elem en t w ill be.
ax is o f th e sam p le o f
_ 8r»‘
. k /ò u ò 2 // . . «max = 2 u0e l +*r (7)
A V = — ( - — b -r- 5 r I dr dz dd ( 1)
Y u\ or d r¿
<t SAMPLE

7 -SURFACE OF SAMPLE

i ^medB g ^nwx

Fig. 2 D istribution of pore pressures within the sam ple during

consolidation.
Fig. 1 (a) Scheme of arrangem ent o f the consolidation test D istribution des pressions interstitielles dans l’échantillon
in the triaxial apparatus, with drainage tow ards pendant la consolidation.
the cylindrical surface ;
(b) Cylindrical element o f the sample.
(a) D ispositif pour l'essai de consolidation dans l’appa- T h e av erag e value is eq ual to o n e h a lf o f th e m ax im u m
reil triaxial, avec drainage vers la surface cylindrique ; value
(b) Elément cylindrique de l'échantillon. STju
l + 2y
Hmed — 'V ' ( 8)
If £ is th e strain p er u n it length alo n g th e z axis, th e change
in volum e m ay also be ex p ressed by E q u a tio n (5) show s th a t fo r t = 0 th e d istrib u tio n o f p o re
p ressu re is a p a ra b o lo id , w hich a p p ea rs to conflict w ith the
A V = — s(l + 2 X )r d rd zd Q u n ifo rm d istrib u tio n tak in g place w hen th e sam p le is su b jected
(2)
to tria x ia l pressu re before d rain a g e begins. T h ere m u st be
E q u a tin g b o th values, we get a n in term ed iate stage betw een these tw o e x trem e d istrib u ­
tion s, w ith ra d ia l c o n so lid a tio n o n ly , w ith o u t vertical one. A
re a d ju stm e n t o f p o re p ressures tak es place u n til d istrib u tio n
k I Ò2 « 1 ÓÍ/ 1 is p a ra b o lic , a t w ich stage the vertical c o n so lid a tio n will
(3)
(1 + 2X) ò r2 + r ö r j sta rt. A lth o u g h this p h ase is o f p u rely th eo retical interest,
since it has o n ly a slight influence o n th e test, th e a u th o rs
Since the value o f the vertical strain £ is in d ep e n d e n t o f r h a v e trie d to m easu re the p o re p ressu re a lo n g th e axis o f the
a n d o n ly a fun ctio n o f tim e (eq u al strain ), we have sam ple d u rin g in itial co n so lid a tio n . T h ey h av e n o t reached
a n y final c o n clu sio n how ever, because th e tim e lag o f the
m esu rin g in stru m en ts is p ro b a b ly m uch g reater th a n th a t
-u 1 öiT I _ specified fo r p ro d u c in g th e re q u ired rea d ju stm en t.
f(t) (4)
r*
(1 + 2X) y<o I òr2 7 ~òr] “ It is n o t possible to c o n firm this h y p o th esis b y o b serving
th e o n set o f vertical c o n so lid a tio n , because this p h ase is
F ro m the in te g ra tio n o f eq u a tio n (4) we o b ta in o b scu red b y th e in itial c o n so lid a tio n o f th e sam ple, to g eth er
w ith th e a d ju stm e n t betw een th e sam ple a n d th e b aseplates.
T h e a u th o rs nev erth eless c o n sid er th a t this su b ject should
u = _2 ^ ( R 2 _ r2} _________ ^ ______ b e investigated.
(5)
R2 1 >e (I + 2X )ya R 2m v E q u a tio n (8) m ay be expressed as follow s :

w ith th e follow ing co n d itio n s : Wmed 8C„

log (?)
1 + Ik (1 + 2A) R 2
òu
1. F o r r = R u = 0 a n d fo r r = 0 — = 0
br it being
2. F o r t = 0, beginning o f th e c o n so lid a tio n , th e to ta l at = U n ita ry vertical stra in in a tim e t
p o re pressu re in the surface o f the sam p le m u st be eq u al A = T o ta l u n it strain related to 100 p e r cen t o f the
to tcR2u0; being the app lied la teral pressure. p rim a ry co n so lid atio n .
84
 Vt = V olum e d rain ed b y the sam ple in a tim e t. T h e ab o v e show s th a t th e slope is in d ep en d e n t o f th e
V = V olum e drain ed referred to 100 p er c e n t o f the in itial erro rs an d d ep en d s o n ly u p o n those included in the
p rim ary co n so lid a tio n . estim ated 100 p er cen t p rim ary c o n so lid atio n . If s s = 0 , the
I t can easily be d e m o n stra ted th a t d iag ram c o rresp o n d in g to the en d o f p rim a ry a n d the
begin n in g o f seco n d ary co n so lid a tio n is a stra ig h t line, its
slope h a v in g th e co rrec t value from w hich cv m a y be
tfmed derived th ro u g h e q u a tio n (11). If s s is g reater th a n zero, it
= logl 1 - ^ lo g ( 1 - ( 10)
log
Wn ■ M )) = can read ily be show n by e q u a tio n ( 12) th a t th e slope g rad u ally
decreases u n til it becom es zero w hen A — at = z s. C o n v ­
ersely, if es is less th a n zero, th e slope o f th e cu rv e will
T he th eo retical re p resen ta tio n o f th e co n so lid atio n in a
te n d to be infin ite after reaching a m inim um value. T he
diag ram „ med
th ree ty p es o f cu rv es a re show n in Fig. 4.
t - l o g ------
«0
t
(Fig. 3) is a straig h t line, w hose slope is

tg a = -
(1 + 2 X)R2

> 1=

;r|<
I

EB

Fig. 4 A djustm ent of the actual diagram of consolidation.

A justem ent des diagrammes de consolidation réels.
Fig. 3 Theoretical diagrams of consolidation.
D iagram m e théorique de consolidation.

A ssum ing th a t n o d istu rb an ce s exist, w ith w ich the au th o rs

deal later, eq u a tio n (11) determ ines th e value Cv as a fu n ctio n
o f the th ree values tg a , X a n d R. T his lin ear re latio n sh ip is
m odified a t th e o u tset b y in itial co n so lid atio n , b y read ju st-
tm en t betw een baseplates a n d sam ple, by re d u ctio n o f th e
volum e o f air w hich m ay h av e been tra p p e d a n d b y the w ater
expelled from th e lay er o f m icaceous sand.
T he influence o f these in itia l e rro rs lasts fo r o n ly a c o m p a r­
atively sh o rt tim e w hich, fo r sam ples 6 inches high a n d 4
inches in diam eter, fo r th e soils tested m a y be from 10 to
15 m inutes.
T h e seco n d ary co n so lid a tio n also influences the diagram

Wmed
t - lo g

It can be show n th a t (Fig. 4)

1 1
tg a ' = tg a o r tg a ' = tg a -
1 + 1 +
A — a, — e„ y - k - cs

In this fo rm u la, th e follow ing n o m e n c la tu re is used :

tg a ' = slope o f the cu rv e a t a n y p o in t fo r a given value o f
A o r V.
Fig. 5 Sample surrounded by a layer of micaceous sand,
tg a = slope o f the cu rv e a t a n y p o in t fo r th e co rre ct value ready for test.
o f A o r V.
Echantillon entouré par une couche de sable micacé,
s, = E rro r in the estim ate o f A o r V. préparé pour l'essai.

85
 AVERAGE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HUELVA
m ix tu re o f 50 per cen t m ica retain e d betw een N o . 16 a n d 40
BLU E CLA YS sieves o f the A m erican S ociety fo r T esting M ateria ls, an d
50 per cen t fine beach sand. T he co m p ressib ility o f this m ixture
(Fig. 6) is slightly g re ate r th a n th a t o f th e clay, in o rd er to
en su re th a t the c o n so lid a tio n p ressu re will be fully exerted.
T h e lay er o f m icaceous sa n d w as placed w ith the aid o f a
cy lin d er d iv id ed in to th ree 120 degree sections, th e d iam eter
ZONE OCCUPIED BY THE COMPRESSIBILITY o f w hich w as 1 cm g reater th a n th a t o f th e sam ple, to the
CURVES OF HUELVA B L U E CLAYS
in n e r p o rtio n o f w ich a m e m b ran e is a d ju ste d w ith slight
suctio n . T h e san d w as m ix ed w ith w ater a n d th e so lu tio n was
p o u red in to en su re th a t th e d rain a g e lay er w as com p letely
sa tu ra te d . In o rd e r to keep this san d in place u n til th e test
w as u n d e rta k e n , a su ctio n ran g in g fro m 0-05 to 0T kg p er sq.
cm w as applied, as so o n as the u p p e r b asep late w as in p o sition.
COMPRESSIBILITY CURVE OF MICACEOUS S I NO
50V. BEACH SAND.
5 0 % MICA. 0,42 < d < 1,19 MM
-------- Sam ples o f 4 inches d iam eter, th eir h eight v ary in g fro m 14
to 18 cm , h a v e been used w ith increasing co n so lid a tio n p res­
sures o f 1 to 8 k g p e r sq. cm . R eadin g s h av e been ta k e n o f
th e vertical strain a t each lo ad in g stage, o f th e volum e o f
Fig. 6 Compressibility o f samples to be tested and of the w ater expelled fro m the sam ple, a n d o f th e volum e o f w ater
layers of micaceous sand. in tro d u c ed in to th e cell. (Fig. 7.)
Compressibilité des échantillons destinés à l'essai, et R ead in g s w ere ta k e n every 15 m in u tes fo r a p erio d o f
des couches de sable micacé. seven h o u rs, th e last o n e 24 h o u rs after th e test h a d been
started .
In o rd e r to get w ith a c c u racy the value o f Cv it will be
necessary to try several v alues o f the 100 p er cen t o f p rim a ry I5‘ 30' 45’60’ 2
c o n so lid atio n u n til we o b ta in a straig h t line fro m th e en d o f
in itial p e rtu rb a tio n on. (TIME ICM.= 30M= 1.800 SEC
SC A LES
CONSOLIDATION I CM.: 0,0435

T ests carried out - 1+ 2 / R2tge*x 1.800

T ests o n rad ial p erm eab ility o f u n d istu rb e d sam ples o f R : 4.72 CM
blue clays, from sites n ea r the p ro p o sed H u e lv a h a rb o u r,
w ere c arried o u t a t the M a d rid L a b o ra to ry (Fig. 1 (a)).
V ertical flow w as av o id e d b y placing a th in p lastic sheet
betw een the sam ple a n d th e p o ro u s baseplates. T he 5 m m
la y e r o f m icaceous san d su rro u n d in g th e sam ple consists o f a
CVISTRAIN)= 2,48 xlO-4CM.^SEC
Cv IW . E X P ) =2.77x IO-4CM2/SEO.

1
(jJ
O
22
o
oc
CL

z
o
<
Q

o</)
2
O
o

Fig. 8 Standard consolidation diagrams, adjusted :

upper curve = sample strains,
lower curve = water volume expelled by sample.
D iagram m es types de consolidation :
Fig. 7 4" x 6" sample during radial perm eability test. ccurbe supérieure = déform ations de l’échantillon,
Echantillon 4" x 6" pendant l’essai de perméabilité courbe inférieure = volume d ’eau expulsé par l’échan­
radiale. tillon.
86
 W ith very plastic clays, m o re th e n 80 p e r cent o f the p rim a ry
co n so lid atio n occurs w ithin th e first seven h o u rs o n sam ples
o f 4 inches diam eter. F u rth e r o b serv a tio n from 7 to 24 h o u rs
are n o t necessary, because th e fo rm er tim e is ad e q u ate for
o b tain in g the curve.
T h e value A, the ra tio betw een h o riz o n ta l a n d vertical
com pressibility, has been d eterm in ed b y m easu rin g th e
height and d iam eter o f th e sam ple fo r each co n so lid atio n
pressure. M easurem ents o f d iam e te r w ere o b ta in e d b y the
optical system pro p o sed by th e a u th o r s ; in this p a rtic u la r
case o f H u elv a clays, A is p ractically eq u al to unity .
T w o ty pical diagram s o b ta in e d a fte r a d ju stm e n t a n d co rrec­
tio n a re show n in Fig. 8. T h e m ain slope is n o t affected by th e
initial perio d fro m 15 to 30 m in u tes. T he u p p e r c u rv e c o rre s­
p o n d s to the percentage co n so lid a tio n d eriv ed fro m m easurin g
th e strain o f the s a m p le ; th e low er o n e refers to th e volum e
o f w ater expelled u n d e r a pressu re o f 8 k g p er sq. cm . O n ly
sm all differences are o b tain ed w hen using e ith er p ro ced u re,
ex cep t fo r a few isolated cases.
A su m m ary o f results o b ta in e d w ith v ario u s clay sam ples
cc 00 M M M can be d eterm in ed b y a d ju stm e n t w hich is in d e p e n d e n t o f
0 VERTICAL DEFORMATION
A EXPELLED WATER
x WATER INTRODUCEDINTOTHE
DC
is show n in F ig. 9. F o r a lateral p ressure o f o n ly 1 kg per
sq. cm , th e coefficient o f c o n so lid a tio n is a b o u t fo u r tim es
higher th a n th a t co rresp o n d in g to higher pressures. T his
larg e difference m ay be due to th e fact th a t th is p ressu re is
ap p ro x im ate ly eq u al to th a t in th e n a tu ra l g ro u n d a t the
level fro m w hich sam ples w ere ex tracted .
F ro m this it ap p e a rs th a t fo r pressu res low er th a n th a t
o f c o n so lid a tio n , the p erm eab ility is m uch hig h er acco rding
to the directio n o f th e p lanes o f sed im en tatio n . T his fact is
p a rtic u la rly im p o rta n t w here a clay stratu m is relieved from
pressu re, as in th e case o f H u elv a clays, w here dred g in g will
b e u n d e rta k e n a n d w here vertical d rain s will be installed.
Conclusions
1. A p erm eab ility test in w hich d rain ag e is to w ard s the
su rface o f a cylindrical sam ple, su rro u n d e d by a lay er o f
m icaceous san d , has th e tw in a d v an ta g es o f ra p id ity a n d o f
th e a b ility to use a sam ple o f the m ax im u m h eig h t ad m itted
b y a tria x ia l cell. T he accu racy a tta in e d ap p e a rs to be g reater
th a n w hen using a lte rn a tiv e m ethods.
2. T he coefficient o f c o n so lid a tio n o r o f p erm eab ility
in itial d istu rb a n c e a n d o f seco n d ary co n so lid atio n .
3. T h e use o f a lay e r o f m icaceous san d , h av in g a co m p res­
CELL
sib ility sim ilar to th a t o f th e soil b eing tested, has p ro v ed to
be satisfacto ry .

IP g G. 0 References
M M M

c C
[1] B arron R. A. (1947). Consolidation o f Fine-G rained Soils
99 CO 0 JtM
by D rain Wells. Proceed. A.S.C.E., Jun. 1947, Vol. 73,
0
M p. 811.
MM O
[2] I s h i i , Y. (1957). "E stim ation of C„ and mv Values for the
M 0 8 8
Design of Sand D rains” . Proceed. IV Int. Conf. Soils
09 2 4 0 1 2 13 Mech., Vol. I, p. 312.
[3] R i c h a r t , F. E. (1957). A Review of the Theories for Sand
Cm2/SEC. — Drains. Proceed. A.S.C.E., Jul. 1957, Vol. 83, SM-3,
p. 1300.
Fig. 9 Values of the coefficient of consolidation of the blue [4] R o w e , P. W. (1959). M easurement of the Coefficient of
clays from H uelva, obtained by radial perm eability Consolidation of Lacustrine Clay. Geoth. Vol. IX .
tests. Sep. 1959, p. 107.
Valeurs du coefficient de consolidation des argiles bleues [5] E s c a r io , V., U r i e l , S. (1960). Optical M ethods of
de H uelva, obtenues p ar des essais de perm éabilité Measuring the Cross Section of samples in the Triaxial
radiale. Test.

87