A consolidation model of single drain driven by combining vacuum preloading and electro-osmosis

Abstract

A consolidation model was established for vacuum preloading-electroosmosis combined single prefabricated vertical drain (PVD), which is used to consolidate low-permeable soil mass. The model was derived in terms of "equal strain hypothesis" and one-dimensional electroosmosis consolidation theory. The analytical solutions to the model are able to predict the primary consolidation of soil, including pore pressure, consolidation degree as well as water discharge volume. A laboratory apparatus was set up to examine the consolidation of kaolin which was subjected to the combined consolidation process. The test results were compared against analytical results to verify the predictability of the consolidation model. It is indicated that vacuum preloading-electroosmosis combined process is able to facilitate the consolidation of the kaolin and the analytical results are in good agreement with test results.