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Module 5
CONSOLIDATION (Lectures 27 to 34)
Topics
1.1 FUNDAMENTS OF CONSOLIDATION
1.1.1 General Concepts of One-dimensional Consolidation
1.1.2 Theory of One-Dimensional Consolidation
1.1.3 Relations of and for Other Forms of Initial Excess Pore Water
Pressure Distribution
1.1.4 Numerical Solution for One-Dimensional Consolidation
Compression index
Logarithm-of-time method
Square-root-of-time method
Coefficient of consolidation
PROBLEMS
Chapter 5
Lecture 27
Consolidation-1
Topics
1.1 FUNDAMENTS OF CONSOLIDATION
1.1.1 General Concepts of One-dimensional Consolidation
1.1.2 Theory of One-Dimensional Consolidation
According to Terzaghi (1943), a decrease of water content of a saturated soil without replacement of the
water by air is called a process of consolidation. When saturated clayey soils-which have a low coefficient
of permeability-are subjected to a compressive stress due to a foundation loading, the ore water pressure will
immediately increase; however, due to the low permeability of the soil, there will be a time lag between the
application of load and the extrusion of the pore water and, thus, the settlement. This phenomenon is the
subject of discussion of this chapter.
Figure 1
=
Since the total stress is equal to the sum of the effective stress and the pore water pressure at all depth soft
the clay layer the increase of effective stress due to the surcharge (immediately after application) will be
equal to zero (i.e., = 0, where is the increase of the effective stress). In other words, at time t = 0,
the entire stress increase at all depths of the clay is taken by the pore water pressure and none b y the soil
skeleton. This is shown in figure 2a. (It must be pointed out that, for loads applied over a limited area, it
may to be true that the increase of the pore water pressure is equal to the increase of vertical stress at any
depth at time t = 0.
Figure 2 Change of pore water pressure and effective stress in the clay layer
shown in figure 1 due to the surcharge
Dept. of Civil Engg. Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur
After application of the surcharge (i.e., at time > 0), the water in the void spaces of the clay layer will be
squeezed out and will flow toward both the highly permeable sand layers, thereby reducing the excess pore
water pressure. This, in turn, will increase the effective stress by an amount since + = . Thus, at
time > 0,
> 0
And <
This fact is shown in figure 2b.
Theoretically, at time = , the excess pore water pressure at all depths of the clay layer will be dissipated
by gradual drainage. Thus, at time = ,
=
And = 0
This shown in figure 2c.
This gradual process of increase of effective stress in the clay layer due to the surcharge will result in a
settlement which is time-dependent and is referred to as the process of consolidation.
With the above assumptions, let us consider a clay layer of thickness 1 as shown in figure 3. The layer is
located between two highly permeable sand layers. In this case of one-dimensional consolidation, the flow
of water into and out of the soil element is in one direction only, i.e., in the z direction. This means that
, , , are equal to zero, and thus the rate of low into and out of the soil element can be given
by:
+ = rate of change of volume of soil element
(1)
Where =
(2)
we obtain
2
2 =
(3)
(4)
where is the unit weight of water. Substitution of equation (4) and (3) and rearranging gives
2
2
(5)
During consolidation the rate of change of volume is equal to the rate of change of the void volume. So,
(6)
(7)
Where is the volume of soil solids in the element, which is constant, and is the void ratio. So,
= = 1+ =
1+
(8)
= 1+
(9)
The change in void ratio, , is due to the increase of effective stress; assuming that these are linearly
related, then
= ( )
(10)
= 1+
=
(12)
(13)
6
Or
(14)
(15)
Equation (14) is the basic differential equation of Terzaghis consolidation theory and can be solved with
proper boundary conditions. To solve the equation, assume u to be the product of two functions, i.e., the
product of a function of z and a function of t, or
= ()
So,
(16)
= ()
And 2 = 2 = ()
(17)
(18)
()
()
(19)
The right-hand side of equation (19) is a function of z only and is independent of t; the left-hand side of the
equation is a function of t only and is independent of z. therefore, they must be equal to a constant, say- 2 .
So,
= 2 ()
(20)
(21)
(22)
(23)
2. = 0 = 0.
3. = 0 = = 2.
Note that H is the length of the longest drainage path. In this case, which is two-way drainage condition (top
and bottom of the clay layer), H is equal to half the total thickness of the clay layer, .
The second boundary condition dictates that 4 = 0, and from the third boundary condition we get
5 sin 2 = 0
2 =
Where n is an integer. From the above, a general solution of equation (24) can be in given the form
=
=
=1
2 2
(25)
(26)
(27)
= 1 2
=1
sin
2 2
4
(28)
So far we have not made any assumptions regarding the variation of with the depth of the clay layer.
Several possible types of variation for are considered below.
Constant with depth. if is constant with depth i.e., if = (figure 4) referring to equation
(28),
2
0
1
sin = 2 (1 cos )
2
So, =
= 2
=1
(1 cos )
2 2
4
(29)
2
=
=0 (2 +1)
= 2
=0
[1 cos(2 + 1)]sin
(2m+1)z
2H
exp
(2 )
(2 +1)2 2
4
(30)
Where = 2 + 1 /2. At a given time, the degree of consolidation at any depth z is defined as
=
=
=1 = =
(31)
Where is the increase of effective stress at a depth z due to consolidation. From equations (30) and (31),
= 1
= 2
=0
exp
(2 )
(32)
Figure 5 shows the variation of with depth for various values of the non-dimensional time factor, ;
these curves are called isocrones.
(1/ ) 0 (1/ ) 0
(1/ ) 0
(33)
The average degree of consolidation is also the ratio of consolidation settlement at any time to maximum
consolidation settlement. Note, in this case, that = 2 = .
Combining equations (30) and (33),
= 1
= 2
=0 2
exp
(2 )
(34)
Figure 6 Variation of average degree of consolidation (for conditions given in figs. 4, 7, 8, and 9)
Terzaghi suggested the following equations for to approximate the values obtained from equation (34):
10
For = 0 53%:
For = 53 100%:
% 2
100
(35)
(36)
Sivaram and Swamee (1977) gave the following equation for varying from 0 to 100%:
%
100
(4 /)0.5
= [1+(4 /)2.8]0.179
(37)
(/4)( %/100)2
Or = [1(
(38)
5.6 0.357
%/100) ]
Equations (37) and (38) give an error in of less than 1% for 0%< < 90% and less than 3% for
90%< < 100%.
Table 1 Variation of [equation (34)
%
0
10
20
30
35
40
45
50
55
0
0.008
0.031
0.071
0.096
0.126
0.159
0.197
0.238
%
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
0.287
0.342
0.403
0.478
0.567
0.684
0.848
1.127
It must be pointed out that, if we have a situation of one-way drainage as shown in figure 7a and b,
equation (34) would still be valid. Note, however, that the length of the drainage path is equal to the total
thickness of the clay layer.
Figure 7 Initial excess pore pressure distribution-one way drainage, constant with depth
Dept. of Civil Engg. Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur
11
Linear variation of . The linear variation of the initial excess pore water pressure, as shown in figure 8,
may be written as
= 1 2
(39)
Figure 8 linearly varying initial excess pore water pressure distribution-two-way drainage
= 1 2
=1 0
1 2
2 2
4
(40)
The average degree of consolidation can be obtained by solving equations (40) and 33):
= 1
= 2
=0 2
exp
(2 )
12
This is identical to equation (34), which was for the case where the excess pore water pressure is constant
with depth, and so the same curves as given in figure 6 can be used.
Sinusoidal variation of . Sinusoidal variation (figure 9) can be represented by the equation
= 3 2
(41)
The solution for the average degree of consolidation for this type of excess pore water pressure distribution
is of the form
= 11
2
4
(42)
13