Experimental Study of the Electro-Osmosis Consolidation of Soft Clay under Anode Follow-Up

Electro-osmotic consolidation is an effective method for soft ground improvement. A novel technique, called "anode follow-up for electro-osmotic consolidation of soft clay", is proposed. A series of electro-osmotic consolidation experiments with different anode follow-up programs were carried out to investigate the influence of anode follow-up to electro-osmotic consolidation. In the electro-osmotic process, the electric current, shear strength, volume of drained flow, water content, and soil conductivity were monitored. Test results show that anode follow-up can promote the effectiveness of electro-osmotic consolidation and reduce the resistance of anodic region obviously in the circuit. The effect is the best when anode follow-up is applied for the first time. When the current density is relatively low, anode follow-up will promote the electro-osmotic process. Soil conductivity decreases in cathodic region is due to the electro-chemical reaction.