Nonlinear analysis of consolidation with variable compressibility and permeability

Terzaghi gave a theory of soil consolidation based on the effective stress principle, which was derived on several ideal assumptions to get a simplified theory. To avoid the limitations involved in Terzaghi's theory, many efforts are being made by scholars to solve the problems in practical engineering situations. This paper presents a generalized theory for one dimensional consolidation of saturated soft clay with variable compressibility and permeability. The semi-analytical solution presented here takes into account the well known empirical e-logk and e-logp'(σ') relations under instantaneous loading. Study of the consolidation behaviors showed that the ratio of Cc and Ck (the slope of e-logp and e-logk respectively) govern the ratio of consolidation. A simulative laboratory investigation with GDS advanced consolidation system was made to analyze the clay consolidation process and compare the results with the semi-analytical solution.