Consolidation by vertical drain beneath a circular embankment using analytical and numerical modelling

When prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs) are installed beneath circular embankment (i.e. circular oil tanks or silos), the system of vertical drains can be replaced by axisymmetric concentric rings with equivalent drain walls. A value for the equivalent coeffi cient of soil permeability must be obtained to provide the same degree of consolidation. A rigorous solution for PVDs installed under circular embankment is proposed and verifi ed by comparing its results with conventional unit cell model. The model is then validated via the consolidation process by vertical drains at the Skå-Edeby circular test embankment (Area II). The calculated values of settlement, lateral displacement and excess pore water pressure provide good agreement with the fi eld measurements.