Consolidation is the process by which saturated clay expels water when loaded externally over a long period of time due to its low permeability. This leads to settlements occurring gradually over many years. In contrast, granular soils drain freely and consolidate instantly under loading. The consolidation process involves the flow of water out of the soil, compression of the soil skeleton as it takes on the additional load, and the redistribution of pressure. An oedometer test is commonly used to measure consolidation properties by applying incremental loads to a saturated soil sample and measuring the resulting compression over time.
Consolidation is the process by which saturated clay expels water when loaded externally over a long period of time due to its low permeability. This leads to settlements occurring gradually over many years. In contrast, granular soils drain freely and consolidate instantly under loading. The consolidation process involves the flow of water out of the soil, compression of the soil skeleton as it takes on the additional load, and the redistribution of pressure. An oedometer test is commonly used to measure consolidation properties by applying incremental loads to a saturated soil sample and measuring the resulting compression over time.
Consolidation is the process by which saturated clay expels water when loaded externally over a long period of time due to its low permeability. This leads to settlements occurring gradually over many years. In contrast, granular soils drain freely and consolidate instantly under loading. The consolidation process involves the flow of water out of the soil, compression of the soil skeleton as it takes on the additional load, and the redistribution of pressure. An oedometer test is commonly used to measure consolidation properties by applying incremental loads to a saturated soil sample and measuring the resulting compression over time.
Consolidation is the process by which saturated clay expels water when loaded externally over a long period of time due to its low permeability. This leads to settlements occurring gradually over many years. In contrast, granular soils drain freely and consolidate instantly under loading. The consolidation process involves the flow of water out of the soil, compression of the soil skeleton as it takes on the additional load, and the redistribution of pressure. An oedometer test is commonly used to measure consolidation properties by applying incremental loads to a saturated soil sample and measuring the resulting compression over time.
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CONSOLIDATION
In saturated cohesive soils the effect of
loading is to squeeze out porewater; this process is called consolidation. When a saturated clay is loaded externally, saturated clay GL the water is squeezed out of the clay over a long time (due to low permeability of the clay). 4 This leads to settlements occurring over a long time, which could be several years. time s e t t l e m e n t
5 Granular soils are freely drained, and thus the settlement is instantaneous. time s e t t l e m e n t
heres a spring (soil skeleton) housed in a sealed chamber filled with water the valve in the seal is closed an extra load (pressure) is applied to the seal the water takes on this extra pressure, the spring (soil skelton) feels nothing valve opens, water drains out spring (soil skeleton) starts to compress as it takes on the extra load finally, the soil skeleton has taken on all the extra load drainage stops From this analogy, the process of consolidation involves three main features :
A) Flow of water B) Compression C) Displacement pressure Coefficient of compressibility Strain per unit volume of added stress. Rates depend on the compressibility of the soil reinforcement and change of stress.
Where, P Added stress H Change in thickness H thick of sample Mv = H x 1 H P Coefficient of permeability
Where, e1 initial of void ratio e2 @ ef Final void ratio after stress applied e = e1 e2
Mv = e1 e2 x 1 1 + e1 P Coefficient of consolidation
Where, k coefficient of permeability w unit weight of water Mv coefficient of compressibility
Cv = k wMv Time Factor Used to calculate the period of time, t required to settle the land.
Where ; Cv - coefficient of consolidation t - settlement times d length of drainage path = length if 2 way drainage = length if 1 way drainage Tv = Cvt d Degree of consolidation, Uv
Where; Ht consolidation settlement at time t Hc final consolidation settlement
Uv = Ht Hc Refers to the vertical downward displacement at the base of a foundation or other structure due to ground movement. 15 16 Increment of load Topcap porous stone sample water confining ring settlement dial gauge Find and briefly explain about the oedometer test (including procedure, picture and data from oedometer test) Graph pressure against the thickness of sample.
Example : The following readings were obtained from an oedometer test on a specimen of saturated clay. The load being held constant for 24 hours before the addition of the next increment.
Applied stress (kN/m2) 0 50 100 200 400 800 0 Thickness (mm) 25.0 24.6 24.4 24.2 23.9 23.7 24.2 At the end of the last load period the load was removed and the sample allowed to expand for 24hr, at the end of which time its thickness was 17.92 mm and its water content found to be 31.8%. The specific gravity of the soil was 2.66.
a) Plot the graph of pressure against thickness, determine the coefficient of volume compressibilty, Mv for a stress 400 kN/m2. Graph and result Graph pressure against the thickness of sample.
Exercise : The following readings were obtained from an oedometer test on a specimen of saturated clay. The load being held constant for 24 hours before the addition of the next increment.
Applied stress (kN/m2) 0 50 100 200 400 800 0 Thickness (mm) 20.0 19.65 19.52 19.35 19.15 18.95 19.25 At the end of the last load period the load was removed and the sample allowed to expand for 24hr, at the end of which time its thickness was 17.92 mm and its water content found to be 25%. The specific gravity of the soil was 2.65.
a) Plot the graph of pressure against thickness, determine the coefficient of volume compressibilty, Mv for a stress range between 250-350 kN/m2.
Example : A standard consolidation test carried out on a soil sample initially 20 mm thick, drained on top and bottom provide the following results over a pressure range of 100 200 kN/m2. After 24 hours the thickness of sample was reduced to 17.69 mm.
Time (minutes) 0.25 1.00 2.25 4 9 16 25 Thickness of sample (mm) 19.84 19.66 19.52 19.43 19.29 19.13 18.99
a) Plot the graph of compression (thickness of sample) against square root of time (Taylor method) and show which part of the curve represents consolidation settlement. b) Estimate the coefficient of consolidation, Cv for this sample. c) If the coefficient of compressibility, Mv was 0.000046 kN/m2, estimate the coefficient of permemability, k
Time (minutes) 36 49 64 81 100 121 144 Thickness of sample (mm) 18.85 18.67 18.57 18.42 18.30 18.20 18.10 Time (minutes) 169 196 Thickness of sample (mm) 18.04 17.99