Large-Strain Consolidation of Sludge in Multiple-Drainage Geotextile Tubes
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 149, Issue 6
Abstract
This paper presents a profound solution for a novel method of dewatering dredged sludge using a combined geotextile tube and vacuum-assisted prefabricated horizontal drains. Firstly, an analytical model was proposed to provide a basis for the design of the proposed approach. This two-dimensional plane-strain consolidation model was based on Gibson’s large-strain theory, incorporating the horizontal and vertical flows with consideration of the self-weight, nonlinear compressibility, and hydraulic conductivity of soil. Secondly, the numerical solution obtained using the alternative direction implicit method was compared with the existing one-dimensional model for verification. Thirdly, a field trial was carried out to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach and analytical model. Finally, the effects of various major design parameters on the consolidation efficiency of the tube system were also investigated through a parametric study to establish an optimal design. This study showed that a higher consolidation efficiency and an earlier optimal efficiency point could be achieved when decreasing the horizontal drain interval and increasing the tube height. Furthermore, surcharge preloading induces a more significant effective stress increment in soil than vacuum preloading of the same magnitude.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
The work described in this paper was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 52078464, 51620105008, and 51978533) and the funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program Marie Skłodowska–Curie Actions Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE) (Grant No. 778360).
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 149 • Issue 6 • June 2023
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 17, 2022
Accepted: Jan 13, 2023
Published online: Apr 4, 2023
Published in print: Jun 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Sep 4, 2023
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