A New Method of Combination of Electroosmosis, Vacuum and Surcharge Preloading for Soft Ground Improvement

As a rapid and effective ground improvement method is urgently required for the booming land reclamation in China＇s coastal area, this study proposes a new combined method of electroosmosis, vacuum preloading and surcharge preloading. A new type of electrical prefabricated vertical drain （ePVD） and a new electroosmotic drainage system are suggested to allow the application of the new method. This combined method is then field-tested and compared with the conventional vacuum combined with surcharge preloading method. The monitoring and foundation test results show that the new method induces a settlement 20% larger than that of the conventional vacuum combined with surcharge preloading method in the same treatment period, and saves approximately half of the treatment time compared with the vacuum combined with surcharge preloading method according to the finite element prediction of the settlement. The proposed method also increases the vane shear strength of the soil significantly. The bearing capacity of the ground improved by use of the new proposed method raises 118%. In comparison, there is only a 75% rise when using the vacuum combined with surcharge preloading method during the same reinforcement period. All results indicate that the proposed combined method is effective and suitable for reinforcing the soft clay ground. Besides, the voltage applied between the anode and cathode increases exponentially versus treatment time when the output current of power supplies is kept constant. Most of the voltage potential in electroosmosis is lost at electrodes, leaving smaller than 50% of the voltage to be effectively transmitted into the soil.

A general solution for vertical-drain consolidation with impeded drainage boundaries

An analytical solution is derived from the generalized governing equations of equal-strain consolidation with vertical drains under multi-ramp surcharge preloading. The hydraulic boundary conditions at both top and bottom of the consolidating soil are modelled as impeded drainage. The impeded drainage is described by using the third type boundary condition with a characteristic factor of drainage efficiency. Fully drained and undrained boundary conditions can also be modelled by applying an infinite and a zero characteristic factor, respectively. Simultaneous radial and vertical flow conditions are considered, together with the effects of drain resistance and smear. An increase in total stress due to multi-ramp loading is reasonably modelled as a function of both time and depth. A solution to calculate excess pore-water pressure at any arbitrary point in soil is derived, and the overall average degree of consolidation is obtained. It shows that the proposed solution can be used to analyze not only vertical-drain consolidation but also one-dimensional consolidation under either one-way or two-way vertical drainage conditions. The characteristic factors of drainage efficiency of top and bottom boundaries have a potentially important influence on consolidation. The boundary may be considered fully drained when the characteristic factor is greater than 100 and fully undrained when the characteristic factor is less than 0.1. The stress distribution along depth induced by the surcharge loading has a limited effect on the overall average degree of consolidation.

Erective Sea Embankment with PCC Piles

The sea embankment is a critical civil works in marine and coastal engineering. In this study, an innovative technique is proposed for constructing erective sea embankments. In the construction of sea embankments, this technique integrates PCC pile installation, PVDs drainage systems, and geotextile reinforcements, resulting in sea embankments with PCC piles. In the application of a sea embankment with PCC piles, PCC piles are employed as the retaining structures; the soft sea ground inside PCC piles is drained and improved by PVDs and vacuum-surcharge combined preloading; geotextile-reinforced backfills lying over the improved soft ground form the embankment body. Brief descriptions of the fundamentals, design and construction of the sea embankment with PCC piles are presented. A case study on the stability of sea embankment with PCC piles is presented as well.