KAEA 3233 - SOIL MECHANICS II

Soil Consolidation
Part 1
Department of Civil Engineering
Faculty of Engineering
University of Malaya

Unsuitable ground

1.0 What Is Consolidation

What Is Consolidation

unlike

Ground Settlement

Consolidation Theory

1.1 Consolidation Theory

Effect of on
START

Soil Particle
may be taken up by soil particles if they are allowed to
move and rearrange. However, was not taken up by soil
particle as movement of solid particles are restraint by water
in the pores (water is incompressible); hence pore water is
the one that picking up the
Pore water
is taken up by pore water
ue = us +
where ue = excess pore water pressure
us = static pore water pressure (before P
is applied)(atmospheric pressure)

Consolidation Theory
AT TIME Soil Particles
t
Rearranging while pore water dissipating (flowing out)
is being transferred gradually to soil particle.
Pore Water
Pore water draining out due to existence of pressure
difference (ue and us). This process is known as
dissipation of pore water pressure and will continue until
pore water pressure ue reduces to uss (steady state pore
water pressure)
The soil at this state is said in drained condition. Before
dissipation of pore water, the soil is said to be in
undrained condition. The time required for pore water to
dissipate depends on permeability of the soil.

Consolidation Theory
COMPLETE

Soil Particles
New particle arrangement established.
All is taken up by soil particles
Pore water
All been completely transferred to soil particle 0
+
Dissipation of pore water pressure is completed
where ue has reached uss
Soil is said to be in drained condition

Consolidation Theory
Consolidation Analogy State of the System Spring

1-Dimensional

Pore Water

Equilibrium

u0

Applied Load P () ;
closed valve

u0 +

Applied Load P () ;
opened valve
( = a + b)

0 + a

u0 + b

Complete

0 +

u0

water pore water

valve flow control (soil permeability)
Load P pressure/external load
spring soil solid particle

Spring and
piston system

For clay soil only

Consolidation Theory
Consolidation Analogy -

1-Dimensional

Consolidation
process
stages of ,
and u

So.. Consolidation
Definition:
Gradual reduction in volume of fully saturated soil of low permeability
due to drainage of some of the pore water, the process continuing until
the excess pore water pressure set up by an increase in total stress
has completely dissipated.
End results:
Consolidation settlement which can be measured by recording levels at
reference points on the ground surface
Consolidation progress measurement:
Through measuring changes in pore water pressure using piezometer.

1-D Consolidation Test Oedometer Test

BS 1377-Part5: 1990

Video: Consolidation Test

Video: Soil sample preparation

At the end of the test , draw curves of

Consolidation settlement against time
Void ratio against stress

1-D Consolidation Test Load Incremental Data

Void Ratio-Pressure Plots

where:
Ws = dry weight of specimen; A = area of specimen; Gs = specific gravity of soil
solids; w = unit weight of water

Void Ratio-Pressure Plots

Compressibility Characteristics

During compression, changes in soil structure continuously take place and

the clay does not revert to the original structure during expansion.

Void Ratio-Pressure Plots

Video: NC and OC

https://spoonfeedme.com.au/course/148/super/soil101/geology-soil-andgeotechnical-engineering/video/12007

Preconsolidated Pressure

Video: Preconsolidated Pressure

Usage c In construction, intended applied pressure on overconsolidated
clay must be less than c in order to avoid large settlement.

Preconsolidated Pressure

=1
1

Effects of Sample Disturbance

Normally consolidated

Overconsolidated

Effects of Sample Disturbance

The slope of virgin compression line for in-situ soil is slightly

greater than the slope of virgin compression line obtained from
the lab test due to the fact that the soil has been disturbed during
sample preparation.

However, the void ratio at the beginning of the lab test (e0) is the
same for both in-situ and lab samples .
Lab virgin line may be expected to intersect the in-situ virgin line
at ~0.42 e0

Construction of In-situ consolidation line

In-situ virgin consolidation line

Draw horizontal line

representing e0 and 0.42e0
Draw vertical line c until it
crosses the horizontal line e0
(label this intersection point
as E)
Extend downwards the
straight line of the lab curve
until it crosses the horizontal
line 0.42e0 (label this
intersection point as F)
Connect EF which represent
the straight part of the in-situ
curve (in-situ virgin
consolidation line)

Construction of In-situ consolidation line

In-situ overconsolidated line

Label 0 as current effective

stress
Draw vertical line 0 until it
crosses horizontal line e0
(label this intersection point
as G)
Draw a parallel line with the
average slope of the lab curve
part (GH) from G

Example 1
The result of a laboratory consolidation test on clay specimen
are given in the table.
Pressure (kN/m2)
Total height of
specimen at the end
of consolidation (mm)

25

50

100

200

400

800

17.65

17.40

17.03

16.56

16.15

15.88

Initial height of specimen = 19 mm, Gs = 2.68, mass of dry specimen

= 95.2 g and area of specimen = 31.68 cm2
Plot e - log curve
Determine the preconsolidation pressure
Determine the compression index Cc