Technical Papers
May 10, 2016

Axisymmetric Consolidation in Unsaturated Soil Deposit Subjected to Time-Dependent Loadings

Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 17, Issue 2

Abstract

This paper presents an analytical solution to predict the axisymmetric consolidation in unsaturated soil deposits subjected to different time-dependent loadings. The mathematical procedure uses the separation of variables and Laplace transformation methods to obtain the final solution. A set of polar governing equations of flow are obtained and presented under the partial differential equations (PDEs), and then the variable separation technique is used to alter the PDEs to ordinary differential equations (ODEs) consisting of distinctive variables. Fourier Bessel and sine series are used to present functions of radial and vertical flows, respectively, and the Laplace transformation is used to obtain a function of time. Four primary time-dependent loading functions, including ramping, asymptotic, sinusoid, and damped sine wave, are mathematically simulated and incorporated into the proposed solutions. This study investigates changes in excess pore-air and pore-water pressures as well as consolidation settlement against the air-to-water permeability ratio and various loading parameters. Moreover, changes in suction and net stress induced by ramped and asymptotic loadings are also presented in the worked examples.

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Go to International Journal of Geomechanics
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 17Issue 2February 2017

History

Received: Oct 19, 2015
Accepted: Feb 26, 2016
Published online: May 10, 2016
Discussion open until: Oct 10, 2016
Published in print: Feb 1, 2017

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Liem Ho
Ph.D. Candidate, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Univ. of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia.
Behzad Fatahi, Ph.D. [email protected]
Senior Lecturer of Geotechnical Engineering, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, Univ. of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia (corresponding author). E-mail: [email protected]

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