• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.187-220
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• 2015

Soil disturbance induced by installation of mandrel driven vertical drains decreases the in situ horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the soil in the vicinity of the drains, decelerating the consolidation rate. According to available literature, several different profiles for the hydraulic conductivity variation with the radial distance from the vertical drain, influencing the excess pore water pressure dissipation rate, have been identified. In addition, it is well known that the visco-plastic properties of the soil also influence the excess pore water pressure dissipation rate and consequently the settlement rate. In this study, a numerical solution adopting an elastic visco-plastic model with nonlinear creep function incorporated in the consolidation equations has been developed to investigate the effects of disturbed zone properties on the time dependent behaviour of soft soil deposits improved with vertical drains and preloading. The employed elastic visco-plastic model is based on the framework of the modified Cam-Clay model capturing soil creep during excess pore water pressure dissipation. Besides, nonlinear variations of creep coefficient with stress and time and permeability variations during the consolidation process are considered. The predicted results have been compared with V$\ddot{a}$sby test fill measurements. According to the results, different variations of the hydraulic conductivity profile in the disturbed zone result in varying excess pore water pressure dissipation rate and consequently varying the effective vertical stresses in the soil profile. Thus, the creep coefficient and the creep strain limit are notably influenced resulting in significant changes in the predicted settlement rate.

• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.59-72
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• 1985

This paper deals with the numerical analysis by the (mite element method introducing Biot's theory of consolidation and the modified Cambridge model proposed by Roscoe school of Cambridge University as constitutive equation and using Christian-Boehner's technique. Especially, time interval and division of elements are investigated in vies of stability and economics. In order to check the validity of author's program, the program was tested with one-dimensional consolidation case followed by Terzaghi's exact solution and with the results of the Magnan's analysis for existing banking carried out for study at Cubzac-les-ports in France. The main conclusions obtained are summarized as follows: 1. In the case of one-dimensional consolidation, the more divided the elements are near the surface of the foundation, the higher the accuracy of the numerical analysis is. 2. For the time interval, it is stable to divide 20 times per 1-lg cycle. 3. At the element which has long drain distance, the Mandel-fryer effect appears due to time lag. 4. Lateral displacement at an initial loading stage predicted by author's program, in which the load was assumed as not concentrative. but rather in grid form, is well consistent with the value of observation. 5. The pore water pressure predicted by author's program has a better accordance with the value of observation compared with Magnan's results. 6. Optimum construction control by Matsuo-Kawamura's method is possible with the predicted lateral displacement and settlement by the program.