Equivalent ‘smear’ effect due to non-uniform consolidation surrounding a PVD

This paper investigated the effect of non-uniform consolidation within a prefabricated vertical drain (PVD) unit cell on the average degree of consolidation through laboratory model tests and finite-element analysis. By considering the permeability (k) changing with the void ratio (e), the results of the finite-element analysis showed that the effect of non-uniform consolidation has a considerable effect on the average degree of consolidation of a PVD unit cell. Further laboratory model tests of a PVD unit cell were conducted, and analyses of the model test results confirmed the effect of non-uniform consolidation. Finally, a method of considering the effect of non-uniform consolidation for the analysis of PVD-induced consolidation was established with an equivalent ‘smear’ effect concept.