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L.18-19-Time Rate of
Consolidation
CIVE 431
SOIL MECHANICS & LAB
Fall 2014-15

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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The Consolidation Process

Region of high
excess water
pressure

Flow

Region of low
excess water
pressure

The consolidation process is the process of the

dissipation of the excess pore pressures that are
generated on load application because water cannot
freely drain from the void space.

The Consolidation Process

Total
Stress

Time
Excess
Pore
Pressure

Time

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The Consolidation Process

Effective
Stress

Time

Settlement

Time

Terzaghis Consolidation Theory

1. Water flow (due to consolidation)

vz

Flow In

Rate at which water

leaves the element

Elevation

v z
vz
z
z
Plan
Area A

v
zA
z

Flow Out

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Terzaghis Consolidation Theory

2. Deformation of soil element (due to change in
effective stress)

Elevation

Rate of volume decrease

v
zA
t

Plan
Area A

Terzaghis Consolidation Theory

Assume: Soil particles and water incompressible
Rate at which water
leaves the element

v
zA
z

Storage Equation

Rate of volume decrease

of soil element

v
zA
t

v
z

v
t

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Terzaghis Consolidation Theory

3. Flow of water (due to consolidation)
Assume Darcys law

h
z

Note that because only flow due to consolidation is

of interest, the head is the excess head, and this is
related to the excess pore pressure by

u
w

Terzaghis Consolidation Theory

4. Stress, strain relation for soil
Assume soil behaves elastically
Elastic response

Volumetric Strain

mv

Coefficient of Compressibility

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Terzaghis Consolidation Theory

v

Storage Equation

+
Darcys law

+
Elastic response

v
t

v k

h
z

v mv

Terzaghis Consolidation Theory

k 2u
u
m

v
w z2
t

2 u u
cv 2
z
t
Where c v

k
= Coefficient of Consolidation
mvw

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Terzaghis Consolidation Theory

(2-Way Drainage)

Uniformly distributed surcharge q

Homogeneous Saturated Clay Layer free

to drain at Upper and Lower Boundaries

2H

Terzaghis Consolidation Theory

(2-Way Drainage)
cv

2u
z 2

u
t

Boundary Conditions
u = 0 when z = 0 for t > 0
u = 0 when z = 2H for t > 0
Initial Condition
u = q when t = 0 for 0 < z < 2H

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Terzaghis Consolidation Theory

(2-Way Drainage)

2q
0

2
1
sin( n Z)e nTv
n

where
n

1
(n )
2

Tv

z
H
cv t

and

H2

Time Factor

Terzaghis Consolidation Theory

(2-Way Drainage)

Z=z/H

T=0.8

0.5

0.3

0.2

0.1

2
0.0

0.5

1.0

u/q
Variation of Excess pore pressure with depth

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Terzaghis Consolidation Theory

(2-Way Drainage)

S
S

U( Tv )

1 2
0

2n Tv
2n

Dimensionless Time Tv
0.00

10-3

10-2

10-1

10

Relation of degree of
settlement and time
0.25

0.50

0.75

1.00

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Approximate Expressions for

Degree of Consolidation
4Tv

U
U 1

8
2

(Tv 0.2)
2T / 4
v

(Tv 0.2)

Terzaghis Consolidation Theory

(1-Way Drainage)

Uniformly distributed surcharge q

Homogeneous saturated clay layer

resting on an impermeable base

Impermeable

10

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Terzaghis Consolidation Theory

(1-Way Drainage)
cv

2u
z 2

u
t

Boundary Conditions
u=0

when z = 0 for t > 0

u
z

when z = H for t > 0

Initial Condition
u = q when t = 0 for 0 < z < H

Terzaghis Consolidation Theory

(1-Way Drainage)

Z=z/H

T=0.8

0.5

0.3

0.2

0.1

2
0.0

0.5

1.0

u/q
Variation of Excess pore pressure with depth
Solution is identical to that for 2 way drainage. Note that
the maximum drainage path length is H.

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Example - Settlement Calculation

Soil Profile

Gravel
4m

Clay

Final settlement=100mm
cv=0.4m2/year

Sand
Clay Clay

Final settlement=40mm
cv=0.5m2/year

5m

Impermeable

Example - Settlement Calculation

(T = 1 Year)
For the upper layer:
Tv

cvt
H2

0 .4 x 1
22

0 .1

Now using Figure with Tv = 0.1

12

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Dimensionless Time Tv
0.00

10-3

10-1

10-2

10

Relation of degree of
settlement and time
0.25

0.50

0.75

1.00

Example - Settlement Calculation

(T = 1 Year)
For the upper layer
cvt
Tv

H2

0 .4 x 1
22

0 .1

Now using Figure with Tv = 0.1

U = 0.36
so
S1 = 100 x 0.36 = 36mm

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Example - Settlement Calculation

(T = 1 Year)
For the lower layer:

Tv

cvt
H2

0 .5 x 1
52

0 . 02

Now using Figure with Tv = 0.02

Dimensionless Time Tv
0.00

10-3

10-2

10-1

10

Relation of degree of
settlement and time
0.25

0.50

0.75

1.00
0.02 0.05

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Example - Settlement Calculation

(T = 1 Year)
For the lower layer:

Tv

cvt
H2

0 .5 x 1
52

0 . 02

Now using Figure with Tv = 0.02

U = 0.16
so
S2 = 40 x 0.16 = 6.4 mm
Total Settlement at Surface = S1+S2 = 36mm + 6.4m ~43mm

2004 Brooks/Cole Publishing / Thomson Learning

Stresses within Soil Mass

15

 2004 Brooks/Cole Publishing / Thomson Learning

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2004 Brooks/Cole Publishing / Thomson Learning

2 to 1 Method of Finding Stress Increase

under the CL of Footing

Consolidation
Settlement
Calculation

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