A numerical study of coupled consolidation in unsaturated soils

1998 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 926-937 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tai T Wong ◽  
Delwyn G Fredlund ◽  
John Krahn

This paper first describes the numerical implementation of the coupled formulation for the theory of consolidation of unsaturated soils. The developed computer code is verified using the Mandel-Cryer problem and then is applied to the solution of coupled multidimensional consolidation problems. Using a parametric study, it is demonstrated that, in unsaturated soils, the Mandel-Cryer effect is suppressed and the consolidation process in unsaturated soils is affected significantly by the shape of the soil-water characteristic curve. Finally, the developed model is used to analyze the consolidation of an unsaturated-saturated soil column. Analysis results indicate that the classical "undrained" pore-water pressure response to an externally applied load only occurs in the saturated zone while the pore-water pressure response is subdued in the unsaturated zone. This paper also shows a method of deriving one of the two additional material parameters required for the analysis of unsaturated soils from laboratory test results.Key words: coupled consolidation, unsaturated soils, Mandel-Cryer effect, soil-water characteristic curve.

2007 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 266-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trinh Minh Thu ◽  
Harianto Rahardjo ◽  
Eng-Choon Leong

Measurement of the soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) in the laboratory is commonly conducted under zero confining pressure. However, in the field, the soil is under a confining stress. Therefore, it is important to study the effects of the confining stress on SWCC. In addition, the consolidation curve is normally generated under saturated conditions. However, the soil above the water table is usually unsaturated. Hence, it is also necessary to investigate the effects of matric suction on the characteristics of the consolidation curves. This paper presents the SWCCs under different net confining stresses and the isotropic consolidation curves under different matric suctions that describe the volume change characteristics of unsaturated soils with respect to stress state variables, net normal stress, and matric suction. A series of SWCCs was determined for statically compacted silt specimens in a triaxial cell apparatus under different net confining stresses. Isotropic consolidation tests under different matric suctions were also carried out. The results of the SWCC tests show that the air-entry value increased with increasing net confining stress. The yield points (i.e., yield suction, s0) obtained from the SWCC tests also increased with increasing net confining stress. The results of isotropic consolidation tests indicate the strong influence of matric suction on compressibility and stiffness of the compacted silt specimens.Key words: soil-water characteristic curve, isotropic consolidation, pore-water pressure, volume change, NTU mini suction probe, matric suction.


2012 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 46-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Changbo Jiang ◽  
Yongzhou Cheng ◽  
Liuhong Chang ◽  
Bo Xia

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (7) ◽  
pp. 1821-1833 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuraddeen Muhammad Babangida ◽  
Muhammad Raza Ul Mustafa ◽  
Khamaruzaman Wan Yusuf ◽  
Mohamed Hasnain Isa

1999 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 363-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daud W Rassam ◽  
David J Williams

A relationship describing the shear-strength profile of a desiccating soil deposit is essential for the purpose of analysis, especially when a numerical method is adopted where each zone in a discretised grid is assigned an elevation-dependent shear-strength value. The matric-suction profile of a desiccating soil deposit is nonlinear. Up to the air-entry value, an increase in matric suction is associated with a linear increase in shear strength. Beyond air entry, as the soil starts to desaturate, a nonlinear increase in shear strength occurs. The soil-water characteristic curve is stress dependent, as is the shear-strength gain as matric suction increases. In this paper, a three-dimensional, nonlinear regression analysis showed that a power-additive function is suitable to describe the variation of the shear strength of unsaturated soils with matric suction. The proposed function incorporates the effect of normal stress on the contribution of matric suction to the shear strength.Key words: air-entry value, matric suction, nonlinear regression, soil-water characteristic curve, tailings, unsaturated shear strength.


2015 ◽  
Vol 52 (9) ◽  
pp. 1331-1344 ◽  
Author(s):  
W.M. Yan ◽  
Guanghui Zhang

Experiments were undertaken to study the soil-water characteristics of compacted sandy soil (SS) and cemented soil (CS) in field and laboratory conditions. The influence of vegetation and material density on the development of negative pore-water pressure (PWP) and degree of saturation (Sr) in the studied materials was investigated. The field planting experiments demonstrated a promising survival rate of Schefflera heptaphylla in both types of material, while the (SS) promoted better growth of the seedlings than the cemented one. In the field study, PWP and Sr of the compacted SS responded noticeably and promptly to natural drying–wetting cycles. However, the responses in the CS were relatively mild. When subjected to the same drying–wetting cycles, PWP responded more slowly and to a smaller magnitude compared with that of the uncemented counterpart. In addition, Sr changed little in CS. An increase in the density of the SS promoted rapid development of negative PWP, while an opposite trend was observed for CS. Attempts have been made to explain the observations from the perspectives of material permeability and change in water content during a drying period in both soil types. Furthermore, in SS, the development of PWP (with a measurement limit of −90 kPa) was minimally affected by the presence of vegetation, while vegetation noticeably helped the development of negative PWP in CS. Bounds of the soil-water characteristic curve (SWCCs) of the studied materials were presented based on estimates from the drying and wetting scanning curves derived from the field monitoring. A corresponding laboratory study was carried out in an environmental chamber with controllable temperature and humidity. Monitoring results from the laboratory agreed qualitatively with those obtained from the field.


Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1235
Author(s):  
Xiaoying Qiao ◽  
Shaoyang Ma ◽  
Guixing Pan ◽  
Guanglu Liu

The soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) is the basis for obtaining the hydraulic conductivity parameters of a soil as well as for using soil water and heat transport models. At present, the curve can be obtained by two methods: by direct measurement and by empirical formula. Direct measurement is both difficult and time-consuming. By contrast, fitting the SWCC with a suitable empirical formula is stable and convenient. The van Genuchten (VG) model has the advantage of universal applicability due to its use of a statistical aperture distribution model for estimating hydraulic conductivity. This study selected the Mu Us Bottomland as a study area. Data on the water content and water potential of undisturbed soil from this site were obtained with a Ku-pF instrument and a self-designed soil column experiment with temperature settings of 13 °C, 18 °C, 23 °C, 27 °C, and 30 °C. The variation of four main parameters in the VG model with temperature was analyzed based on thermodynamic theory and considering the effect of temperature on soil capillary pressure via its effects on surface tension and contact angle. A prediction model for the soil-water characteristic curve of the Mu Us Bottomland was then constructed, and its applicability was further analyzed. The temperature dependence of the SWCC demonstrated here provides an important scientific basis for agricultural production, farmland water conservancy, and the design of soil and water conservation engineering projects.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chi Zhang ◽  
Qingyang Zhang ◽  
Zaitian Wu ◽  
Jisheng Zhang ◽  
Titi Sui ◽  
...  

Effects of the embedded monopile foundation on the local distributions of pore water pressure, soil stresses, and liquefaction are investigated in this study using a three-dimensional integrated numerical model. The model is based on a Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes wave module and a fully dynamic poroelastic seabed module and has been validated with the analytical solution and experimental data. Results show that, compared to the situation without an embedded foundation, the embedded monopile foundation increases and decreases the maximum pore water pressure in the seabed around and below the foundation, respectively. The embedded monopile foundation also significantly modifies the distributions of the maximum effective soil stress around the foundation and causes a local concentration of soil stress below the two lower corners of foundation. A parametric study reveals that the effects of embedded monopile foundation on pore water pressure increase as the degrees of saturation and soil permeability decrease. The embedded monopile foundation tends to decrease the liquefaction depth around the structure, and this effect is relatively more obvious for greater degrees of saturation, greater soil permeabilities, and smaller wave heights.


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