NPTEL- Advanced Geotechnical Engineering

Chapter 5
Lecture 28
Consolidation-2
Topics
1.1.3 Relations of and for Other Forms of Initial Excess Pore Water
Pressure Distribution
1.1.4 Numerical Solution for One-Dimensional Consolidation

Consolidation in a layered soil

1.1.5 Degree of Consolidation under Time-Dependent Loading

1.1.3 Relations of and for Other Forms of Initial Excess Pore Water
Pressure Distribution
Using the basic equation for excess pore water pressure and with proper boundary conditions, relations for
and for various other types of initial excess pore water pressure distribution can be obtained. Figures
10 and 11 present some of these cases.

Figure 10 Some forms of initial excess pore water pressure distribution

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Figure 11 Variation of with for initial excess pore water pressure diagrams shown in figure 10

Example 1 Consider the case of initial excess hydrostatic pore water that is constant with depth, i.e.,
= (figure 12). For = 0.3, determine the degree of consolidation at a depth H/3 measured from the
top of the layer.

Figure 12

Solution From equation (32), for constant pore water pressure increase,
= 1

= 2
=0

sin

Mz
H

exp
(2 )

here = /3, / = 1/3, = (2 + 1)/2. We can now make a table to calculate :

1.
/
1/3
1/3
1/3
2.
0.3
0.3
0.3

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3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

/
2/
exp
(2 )
sin
( /)
(2

/)[ sin( )

0
/2
/6
1.273
0.4770
0.5
0.3036

1
3/2
/2
0.4244
0.00128
1.0
0.00005

2
5/2
5/6
0.2546
0
0.5
5

= 0.3041

Using the value of 0.3041 calculated in step 9, the degree of consolidation at depth H/3 is
(/3) = 1 0.3041 = 0.6959 = 69.59%
Note that in the above table we need not go beyond = 2, since the expression in step 9 is negligible for
3.
Example 2Due to certain loading conditions, the excess pore water pressure in a clay layer (drained at top
and bottom) increased in the manner shown in figure 13. For a time factor = 0.3, calculate the average
degree of consolidation.

Figure 13

Solution The excess pore water pressure diagram shown in figure 13 can be expressed as the difference of
two diagrams, as shown in figure 14b and c. the excess pore water pressure diagrams in figure 14b shows a

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case where varies linearly with depth. figure 14c can be approximated as a sinusoidal variation.

Figure 14

The area of the diagram in figure 14b is

1 = 20

1
2

300 + 100 = 4000 /

The area of the diagram in figure 14c is

2 =

=20
=0 40

20

40 sin 20
0

2 =

= 40

20

20

20

800

2 =

1600

= 509.29/

The average degree of consolidation can now be calculated as follows:

for figure 14c

for figure 14b

Uav (T v =0.3)

for figure 14a

U av T v =0.3 A 1 U av T v =0.3) A 2
A 1 A 2

for figure 14a

Form figure 6, for = 0.3, = 61% for area 1 ; = 52.3% for area 2 . So
=

61 4000 509.29 52.3

4000 509,29

271,364.3
3,490.71

= 62.3%

Example 3uniform surcharge of = 2000 / 2 is applied on the ground surface as shown in figure 15a.
(a) Determine the initial excess pore water pressure distribution in the clay layer.
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(b) Plot the distribution of the excess pore water pressure with depth in the clay layer at a time for which
= 0.5.

Figure 15

Solution Part (a): the initial excess pore water pressure will be 2000 / 2 and will be the same
throughout the clay layer (figure 15b; refer to Prob. 1 in chapter 4).
Part (b): From equation (31), = 1 /, = (1 ). For = 0.5, the values of Uz can be
obtained from the top half of figure 5 as shown in figure 16a.
/
,

= 1 ,
/ 2
0
0
0.63
740
0.2
2
0.65
700
0.4
4
0.71
580
0.6
6
0.78
440
0.8
8
0.89
220
1.0
10
1
0

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Figure 16

Figure 16b shows the variation of excess pore water pressure with depth.
Example 4 A clay layer is shown in figure 17. Due to a certain loading condition, the initial excess pore
water pressure in the clay layer is of a sinusoidal nature, given by the equation = 50 sin
(/2)/
2 . Calculate the excess pore water pressure at a the midheight of the clay layer for
= 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8.

Figure 17

Solution From equation (28),

=

1 2
= 0
=1

2 2
4

Let us evaluate the term A:

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1

0
1

Or =

2
50
0

2 sin

Note that the above integral is zero if 1, and so the only nonzero term is obtained when = 1.
Therefore,
=

50

2 2
0

50

= 50

Since only for = 1 is A not zero,

= 50 sin

2
4

At the midheight of the clay layer, = , and so

= 50 sin 2

2
4

= 50

2
4

The values of the excess pore water pressure are tabulated below:

2
= 50
, /2
4
0.2
30.52
0.4
18.64
0.6
11.38
0.8
6.95

1.1.3 Numerical Solution for One-Dimensional Consolidation

In this section, we will consider the finite-difference solution for one-dimensional consolidation, starting
from the basic differential equation of Terzaghis consolidation theory:

= 2

(14)

Let , , and zR by any arbitrary reference excess pore water pressure, time, and distance, respectively.
From these we can define the following nondimensional terms:

Nondimensional excess pore water pressure: =

Nondimensional time: =

(43)
(44)

Nondimensional depth: =

(45)

From equations (43), (44), and the left-hand side of equation (14),

(46)

Similarly, from equations (43), (45), and the right-hand side of equation (14),
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2
2

(47)

2 2

From equations (46), and (47),

=
1

Or

2
2 2

(48)

2 2

If we adopt the reference time in such a way that = 2 / , then equation (48) will be of the form

(49)

The left-hand side of equation (49) can be written as

= (0, + 0, )

(50)

Where 0, and are the nondimensional pore water pressure at point O (figure 18a) at nondimensional
times and t + t.

Figure 18

2
2

= (1, + 3, 20,

(51)

Equating the right sides of equations (50) and (51),

1

0, + 0, =

1
2

(1, + 3, 20, )

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Or 0, + =

1, + 3, 20, + 0,

(52)

For equation (52) to coverage, and must be chosen such that /()2 is less than 0.5.
When solving for pore water pressure at the interface of a clay layer and an impervious layer, equation (52)
can be used. However, we need to take point 3 as the mirror image of point 1 (figure 18b); thus 1, = 3, .
So equation (52) becomes
0, + =

21, 20, + 0,

(53)

Consolidation in a layered soil

It is not always possible to develop a closed-form solution for consolidation in layered soils. There are
several variables involved, such as different coefficients of permeability, the thickness of layers, and
different values of coefficient of consolidation. Figure 19 shows the nature of the degree of consolidation of
a two-layered soil.

Figure 19 Degree of consolidation in two-layered soil. (Figure 19b after U. Luscher,

Discussion. Soil Mech. Found. Div., ASCE, vol. 91, no. SM1, 1965)

Figure 20
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In view of the above, numerical solutions provide a better approach. If we are involved with the calculation
of excess pore water pressure at the interface of two different types (i.e., different values of ) of clayey
soils, equation (52) will have to be modified to some extent. Referring to figure 20, this can be achieved as
follows (Scott, 1963): from equation (14),

change in volume

Difference between the rate of flow

Based on the derivations of equation (163a in chapter 2)

2

2 = 2

1
2

2
2

2 1
1 + 2

1, +

2 2
1 + 2

3, 2,

(54)

Where 1 and k 2 are the coefficients of permeability in layers 1 and 2, respectively. , , 1, and 3, are
the excess pore water pressures at time t for points 0, 1, and 3, respectively.
Also, the average volume change for the element at the boundary is

=2

+2

(,+ , )

(55)

Where , and ,+ are the excess pore water pressures at point 0 at times t and + , respectively.
Equating the right-hand sides of equations (54) and (55), we get
1
1

+ 2

(,+ , )

(1 + 2 )

Or ,+ =
Or ,+ =

2 1
1 + 2

1, +

1 + 2
2 1 / 1 + 2 /2
1

2 2
1 + 2

1+ 2 / 1
1+( 2 / 1 )(1 +2

3, 2,
2 1

1 + 2

1, +

2 1
1 + 2

2 2
1 + 2

1, +

3, 2, + ,

2 2
1 + 2

3, 2, + ,
(56)

Assuming 1/ = 1 /2 and combining equations (43) to (45) and (56), we get

, + = 1+(

1+ 2 / 1

2
/
)(
+
)

2 1
1
2

2 1
1 + 2

1, +

2 2
1 + 2

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3, 2, + ,

(57)

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Example 5 A uniform surcharge of = 150/2 is applied at the ground surface of the soil profile
shown in figure 21. Using the numerical method, determine the distribution of excess pore water pressure
for the clay layers after 10 days of load application.

Figure 21
Solution Since this is a uniform surcharge, the excess pore water pressure immediately after the load
application will be 150/2 throughout the clay layers. However, due to the drainage conditions, the
excess pore water pressures at the top of layer 1 and bottom of layer 2 will immediately become zero. Now,
let = 8 and uR = 1.5kN/m2 . So = (8)/(8) = 1 and = (150/2 )/(1.5/2 ) = 100.
Figure 22 shows the distribution of at time = 0; note that = 2/8 = 0.25. Now,

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Figure 22
=

Let = 5 for both layers. So, for layer 1,

(1) =

1
2

0.26(5)

0.38(5)

82

(1)

= 0.0203

0.0203

0.0297

0.25 2

= 0.325

(< 0.5)

= 0.475

(< 0.5)

For layer 2,
(2) =

2
2

82

(2)

= 0.0297

0.25 2

= 5 : = 0
, + = 0
= 0.25.
, + =

1
2

1, + 3, 20, + 0,

(52)

At = 0.5 [note: this is the boundary of two layers, so we will use equation (57)],
, + = 1+(

(1)
2
/
)(
+
)
2 1
2
1
1+ 2 / 1

2 1
1 + 2

1, +

2 2
1 + 2

3, 2, + ,

1+2/2.8

= 1+(20.26)/(2.80.38) (0.325)

22.8
2+2.8

22

100 + 2+2.8 100 2 + 100

Or , + = 1.152 0.325 116.67 + 83.33 200 + 100 = 100

= 0.75
, + =

2
2

1, + 3, 20, + 0,

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= 0.475 100 + 0 2 100 + 100 = 52.5

= 1.0.
, + = 0
= 10 : = 0
, + = 0
= 0.25
, + = 0.325 0 + 100 2 67.5 + 67.5 = 56.13
= 0. 5,
, + = 0.325 0 + 100 2 67.5 + 67.5 = 56.13
= 0. 5
, + = (1.152 0.325

22.8
2+2.8

22

67.5 + 2+2.8 52.5 2 100

+ 100

= 1.152 0.325 78.75 + 43.75 200 + 100 = 70.98

= 0.75,
, + = 0.475 100 + 0 2 52.5 + 52.5 = 50.12
= 1.0,
, + = 0
The variation of the nondimensional excess pore water pressure is shown in figure 22. Knowing =
= 1.5 /2 , we can plot the variation of u with depth.

1.1.3 Degree of Consolidation under Time-Dependent Loading

Olson (1977) presented a mathematical solution for one-dimensional consolidation due to a single ramp
load. Olsons solution can be explained with the help of figure 23, in which a clay layer is drained at the top
and at the bottom (H is the drainage distance). A uniformly distributed load q is applied at the ground
surface. Note that q is a function of time, as shown in figure 23b.

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Figure 25 One-dimensional consolidations due to single ramp load

The expression for the excess pore water pressure for the case where = is given in equation (30) as
= 2
=0

exp
(2 )

Where = / 2
As stated above, the applied load is a function of time:
= ( )

(58)

Where is the time of application of any load.

For a differential load applied at time , the instantaneous pore pressure increase will be = . At
time t, the remaining excess pore water pressure at a depth z can be given by the expression.
=
=

= 2
=0

= 2
=0

2 ( )
2

2 ( )

(59)

The average degree of consolidation can be defined as

=

(1/ ) 0

settlement at time

= settlement

at time =

(60)

Where is the total load per unit area applied at the time of the analysis. The settlement at time = is,
of course, the ultimate settlement. Note that the term in the denominator of equation (60) is equal to the
instantaneous excess pore water pressure ( = ) that might have been generated throughout the clay layer
had the stress been applied instantaneously.
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Proper integration of equations (59) and (60) gives the following:

For :
=

= 2
=0 3

And = 1

[1 exp
(2 )
= 1
=0 4

(61)

[1 (2 )

(62)

For :
=

= 2
=0 3

[exp
(2 ) 1]
2

And = 1

Where =

= 1
=0 4

[exp
(2

[(2 ) 1](2 )

(63)
(64)
(65)

Figure 24 shows the plot of against for various values of .

Figure 24 Plot of against time factor for single ramp load. (After Olsen 1977)

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