Journal of Shanghai University(Natural Science Edition) ›› 2014, Vol. 20 ›› Issue (2): 228-238.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1007-2861.2013.07.005

• Civil Engineering • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Experimental Study on Electro-Osmosic Consolidation of Soft Clay under Preloading and Variable Voltage

LIU Fei-yu , ZHANG Le , WANG Jun , ZHANG Bin   

  1. 1. Department of Civil EngineeringSShanghai University, Shanghai 200072, China;
    2. College of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, Zhejiang, China;
    3. Shanghai Municipal Electric Power Company, Shanghai 200122, China
  • Online:2014-04-26 Published:2014-04-26

Abstract: A series of tests were conducted to investigate the consolidation mechanism and effect of the combined application of electro-osmosis drainage and preloading. Test results for consolidation with variable voltage gradient, consolidation with variable loads and consolidation with constant preloading loads were presented and discussed. Current, soil flow, soil moisture content, displacement, soil conductivity, soil pH and other indicators were monitored during the tests. The effect of preloading loads and voltage gradient on electro-osmosis drainage was explored and the corresponding relationship between the preloading loads and the voltage gradient was established. The test results indicate that, compared to improved electro-osmosis voltage, increasing preloading loads can increase soil flow significantly. Preloading loads can increase soil flow at the cathode outfall. The effect of soil treatment with 40 kPa preloading loads is roughly equal to that of electro-osmotic consolidation with 0.5 V/cm voltage gradient. The effect of electro-osmotic consolidation with 1 V/cm voltage gradient is roughly equal to that of preloading with 50∼60 kPa loads.Compared to the effect of electro-osmosis drainage or preloading, the combined application of preloading and electro-osmosis drainage can significantly improve the effect of soil treatment.

Key words: consolidation, electro-osmosis, preloading, soil conductivity

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