Consolidation of Soil

DR. M. Zayed

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Copyright2001

Consolidation of Soil

SIVA

Copyright2001

Consolidation of Soil








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Consolidation of Soil

Types of ground movements

* :

.
* .
* .
* .
* .
* .
* .
* ().
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Compressibility

The volume of soil mass is decreased under stress.

this decrease is known as Compression, and the
copacity of soil to decrease in volume under stress
is known as compressibility.
.
()
.

.

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Mechanical modeling of the

consolidation process
10kg
10kg
10kg

Stop
cock

piston

Water
out

10kg
Water
out

10kg
Water
out

Water
Spring
(a)

Spring load (kg):

Water load (kg):
Consolidation %:

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(b)

(c)

0
10
0

(d)

2.5
7.5
25

5
5
50

(e)

7.5
2.5
75

(f)

10
0
100
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Consolidation
When soil is loaded undrained, the pore pressures
increase. Then, under site conditions, the excess pore
pressures dissipate and water leaves the soil, resulting
in consolidation settlement. This process takes time,
and the rate of settlement decreases over time.
eo
1

Time = 0+

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Time =
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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).

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What is Consolidation?

settlement

This leads to settlements occurring over a long time,

time

which could be several years.

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In granular soils

settlement

Granular soils are freely drained, and thus the

settlement is instantaneous.

time

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During consolidation
Due to a surcharge q applied at the GL,
the stresses and pore pressures are increased at A.
q kPa

GL

..and, they vary

with time.

saturated clay

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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

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saturated clay

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GL

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One Dimensional Consolidation

drainage and deformations are vertical

(none laterally)

a simplification for solving consolidation problems

q kPa
GL

water squeezed out

saturated clay

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reasonable
simplification if the
surcharge is of
large lateral extent

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H -e Relation
H
average vertical strain =
Ho
q kPa
GL

saturated clay
e = eo

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Time = 0+
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q kPa
GL

Ho

saturated clay
e = eo - e
Time =

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H -e Relation
Consider an element where Vs = 1 initially.
e

eo

Time = 0+

Time =

average vertical strain =

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e
1 eo

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H -e Relation
Equating the two expressions for average
vertical strain,

consolidation
settlement

initial thickness of
clay layer

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change in void ratio

H
e

Ho
1 eo
initial void ratio

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Definitions

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Coefficient of compressibility

denoted by av
is the ratio of change in void ratio to the
corresponding chang in stress

Change
void
change
in volume

original volume
Change
stress

mv

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V
e

no
units

e0
e1

0 1

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Coefficient of volume compressibility

denoted by mv
is the volumetric strain per unit increase in stress

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change in volume
original volume

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mv

av

=
1+e0

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void ratio - e

Compression index Cc

e = e0 - Cc log10 [ / 0]
1.0

straight line
phase

0.6
100

1000

pressure kNm-2

e, log10
cc
e0-e1
-e
Cc =
=
Log
log10 [ / 0]

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Casagrande

tangent to max curvature

1.0

line from tangent

Q
bisector

T
B
0.6

p0

100

straight line phase

lab. virgin curve

pc

1000

pressure kNm-2

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Casagrande

:
-1 e - log
-2 p (
).
-3 PQ P
.PT
-4 QPT .PR
-5 CB S
. PC
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Casagrande

PC
:
Normally consolidated clay 0=PC
.
Preconsolidated clay PC>0
.
- underconslidsted clay PC<0 PC
.
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Coefficient of volume compressibility

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Soil Type

mv (cm2/kg)

Very highly compressible

>0.1

highly compressible

0.1 0.02

Med. compressible

0.02 0.005

Low compressible
Very low compressible

0.005 0.002
<0.002

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Terzaghis theory of consolidation

.

.
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Terzaghis theory of consolidation

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.
.
Darcys low
.
.
.
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Consolidation Test

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Consolidation Test
settlement
dial gauge

Increment of load
Topcap

water

confining
ring

sample

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porous stone
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Consolidation Test

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Undisturbed
75 15
20
Porous Stones
Remoulded

Porous Plate
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Consolidation Test

Double drainge

24 48
0.25,1,2,4,8 kg/cm2
, 1,2,4,8,15,30 min,1,2,4,8,24 hours


.
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Consolidation Test

e-
k & mv & cv
Cv = coefficient of consolidation
Mv = coefficient of volume change
K = coefficient of permeability

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Consolidation Test
simulation of 1-D field consolidation in lab.
GL

porous stone
undisturbed soil
specimen

metal ring
(oedometer)

Dia = 50-75 mm
Height = 20-30 mm

field

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lab
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Consolidation Test
loading in increments
allowing full consolidation before next increment
q1

q2

H1

eo- e1

Ho eo

H1
e1
(1 eo )
Ho

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e2

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Consolidation Test
unloading

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e log v plot
- from the above data

void ratio

loading
v increases &
unloading

e decreases

v decreases &
e increases (swelling)

log v

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Compression and recompression indices

Cr

void ratio

Cc ~ compression index
Cc

Cr ~ recompression index

(or swelling index)

Cr

log v

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Preconsolidation pressure

void ratio

is the maximum
vertical effective
stress the soil
element has
ever been
subjected to

preconsolidation pressure

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log v
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Virgin Consolidation Line

original
state

void ratio

eo

virgin consolidation line

eo, vo

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vo

log v
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Overconsolidation ratio (OCR)

original
state

vo

Field

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void ratio

eo

virgin consolidation line

p'
OCR
vo '
vo

log v
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Overconsolidation ratio (OCR)

VCL
OCR=1

~current state

void ratio

OCR=13

Normally
consolidated
clay
OCR=2

OCR=13
Heavily
overconsolidated clay

OCR=2
Slightly
overconsolidated clay

log v

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More to come

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Settlement computations
Two different ways to estimate the
consolidation settlement:
q kPa

(a) using mv
settlement = mv H

=q

(b) using e-log v plot

next slide

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eo, vo, Cc,

Cr, p, mv
-oedometer
test
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e
settlement
H
1 eo

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Settlement computations
~ 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
vo '

vo

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vo+

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Settlement computations
~ computing e using e-log v plot

If the clay is overconsolidated, and remains so by

the end of consolidation,

eo

vo ' '
e Cr log
vo '

initial

note the use of Cr

VCL
vo

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vo+

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Settlement computations
~ computing e using e-log v plot

If an overconsolidated clay becomes normally

consolidated by the end of consolidation,

eo

p'
vo ' '
e Cr log
Cc log
vo '
p'

initial

VCL
vo

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vo+
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One-dimensional
consolidation theory

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One-dimensional
consolidation theory
A simple one-dimensional consolidation model consists of rectilinear
element of soil subject to vertical changes in loading and through
which vertical (only) seepage flow is taking place.
There are three variables:
1.
the excess pore pressure ()
2.
the depth of the element in the layer (z)
3.
the time elapsed since application of the loading (t)

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The total stress on the element is assumed to remain constant.

The coefficient of volume compressibility (mv) is assumed to be
constant.
The coefficient of permeability (k) for vertical flow is assumed to be
constant.

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Mathematical model and equation

Consider the element of consolidating soil. In time dt:

the seepage flow is dq
(q = A k i = A k dh/dz)
the change in excess pressure is

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Mathematical model and equation

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Mathematical model and equation

By defining the coefficient of consolidation

as

this can be written:

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Terzaghi's solution

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General solution
Drainage path length
The basic equation is

(z,t) is excess pore pressure at depth z after time t.

The solution depends on the boundary conditions:
The general solution is obtained for an overall (average)
degree of consolidation using non-dimensional factors.

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Terzaghi's solution

General solution
The following non-dimensional factors are used in order to obtain a
solution:
Degree of consolidation at depth z

Time factor

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Drainage path ratio

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Terzaghi's solution

The differential equation can now

be written as:

If the excess pore pressure is

uniform with depth, the solution is:

Putting Ut = rt/r = average degree

of consolidation in the layer at
time t:

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Drainage path length

During consolidation water escapes from the soil to the surface or to

a permeable sub-surface layer above or below (where = 0). The rate
of consolidation depends on the longest path taken by a drop of
water. The length of this longest path is the drainage path length, d.
Typical cases are:
An open layer, a permeable layer both above and below (d = H/2)
A half-closed layer, a permeable layer either above or below (d = H)
Vertical sand drains, horizontal drainage (d = L/2)

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Determination of cv from test results

The Root-Time method

The Log-Time method

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The Root-Time method

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The Root-Time method

dial gauge
()
%90
1.15 %90 cv

where d = drainage path length

[d = H for one-way drainage, d = H/2 for two-way
]drainage
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The Root-Time method

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The Log-Time method

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