Model Test and Theoretical Analysis for Soft Soil Foundations Improved by Prefabricated Vertical Drains
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 17, Issue 1
Abstract
Model testing for soft soil foundations with and without a prefabricated vertical drain (PVD) was performed to assess the consolidation and long-term performance of PVDs. Surface settlements and excess pore-water pressures at different depths were monitored throughout the applied multistage loading. Classical methods with improved solutions that considered variations in the discharge capacity and non-Darcian flow were applied via a back-analysis of the consolidation results. Parameters related to the smear effect and well resistance were discussed in these solutions. It was found that the foundation improved with PVD had an approximately 20% increase in the total degree of consolidation compared with untreated soft soil foundations; the well resistance of the PVD system not only existed but it also changed over time; the average discharge capacity in the model test under multistage loading condition was far less than the reported value; and the advanced solutions, especially the solution that considered the varied discharge capacity (with qw0 = 3 cm3/s and Aw = 4.12 10−6 1/s), gained a better fitting result than the classical solution.
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Acknowledgments
This research was sponsored by the K. C. Wong Magna Fund in Ningbo University and by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants 51308309 and 51278256), which are gratefully acknowledged. The inspirational collaborative support received from the Centre for Geomechanics and Railway Engineering, University of Wollongong, Australia, was instrumental in the research progress reported in this paper.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 17 • Issue 1 • January 2017
Copyright
© 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 17, 2015
Accepted: Apr 5, 2016
Published online: May 9, 2016
Discussion open until: Oct 9, 2016
Published in print: Jan 1, 2017
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