Journal of Shanghai University(Natural Science Edition) ›› 2019, Vol. 25 ›› Issue (4): 526-535.doi: 10.12066/j.issn.1007-2861.2112

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Compression characteristics and analysis of levee settlement of soft clay in the Yangtze River Estuary

Liang YANG1, Zhongyi ZHAO2, Aifang QIN2()   

  1. 1. Shanghai Waterway Engineering Design and Consulting Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200120, China
    2. Department of Civil Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
  • Received:2019-01-31 Online:2019-08-30 Published:2019-09-04
  • Contact: Aifang QIN E-mail:qinaifang@shu.edu.cn

Abstract:

Owing to the difficulty in predicting the settlement of soft clay in the Yangtze River Estuary area, a series of consolidation tests of undisturbed and remoulded soft clays was conducted to study the consolidation and secondary consolidation characteristics of soft clays in this region. The range of compression indexs and the relationship between the coefficient of secondary consolidation in soft clay and the load were investigated. Furthermore, the engineering characteristics of the Yangtze River Estuary soft clay, typical Shanghai soft clay, and Chongming Island soft clay were compared. Two methods were applied to calculate and predict post-construction settlement, and the feasibility of these two methods was analyzed. The compressibility index of muddy silty clay in the Yangtze River Estuary was found to range from 0.316 to 0.364, and that of silty clay ranged from 0.267 to 0.313, which are both somewhat higher than that of typical Shanghai soft clay. With an increase in the load, the secondary consolidation coefficient of undisturbed clay increase at first but decreased afterwards, while the secondary consolidation coefficient of the remoulded clay was independent of the load. The secondary consolidation coefficient of soft clay in the Yangtze River Estuary was found to be greater than that of the typical soft clay in Shanghai. In conclusion, the physical properties of Yangtze River Estuary soft clay, typical Shanghai soft clay, and Chongming Island soft clay are different.

Key words: muddy silty clay, silty clay, secondary consolidation coefficient, settlement

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