Improvement of soft clays using vacuum-assisted consolidation method

In this study, the analytical modeling of one-dimensional consolidation by vertical drains with vacuum preloading considering both vertical and horizontal drainage is presented. In this method, the total degree of consolidation based on excess pore water pressure dissipation is related to the time factor (Th), drain configuration and anisotropic soil permeability. The analytical predictions are compared with the observed data from consolidation testing. Three different test series were conducted in a large-scale consolidation apparatus designed and installed at the University of Wollongong. It is shown that the authors’ analytical model can accurately predict the laboratory behavior. Finally, the analysis of a selected case history employing the authors’ model demonstrates the applicability of this approach for typical field conditions.