DESIGN OF VERTICAL DRAINS

Ground Improvement: CE
6060
Outline

Introduction

Design Methods

Conclusions

References

2
 PVDs for soil improvement

PVDs are artificially-created drainage

paths which are inserted into the soft
clay subsoil for accelerating
consolidation of fine-grained soils by
promoting radial flow/drainage

3
 PVDs for soil improvement

PVDs can be used:

 To shorten the consolidation time
To lead to increased subsoil bearing
capacity and shear strength

4
 Prefabricated vertical Drains
PVD
for soil improvement
PVDs are a composite geosynthetic
system consisting of:
 An inner core and an outer filter
jacket
 Width = 100 mm,
 Thickness = 6 mm
 Flexible core: With formed flow
path grooves on both sides along
its length
 Jacket: Filter to maintain the
hydraulic capacity of the grooves
and allowing passage of fluids into
the drain core while preventing
clogging by soil intrusion

5
Cross section of
PVD
 S urcha rge

W ick dra in( s)

E m b ank m en t
C ore

S le eve

D et ail A

V ert ica l flow R ad ial flow S oft soil

 Theoretical considerations

 The problem of designing a vertical drain scheme is to

determine the drain spacing which will give the required degree
of consolidation in a specified time for any given drain type and
size in the ground conditions prevail
Drainage will take place in both the vertical and horizontal
planes and therefore any design methods should take this into
account if it is to model the real situation properly
The design of vertical sand drain system is generally based on
the classical theoretical solution developed by Barron (1948) in
which the drains are assumed to be functioning as ideal wells,
i.e., their permeability is considered infinitely high as compared
with that of the soil in which the drains are placed
The above assumption is justified when the drain sand fulfills
the requirements of an ideal filter, but in practice it can never
be achieved
 Methods Available for PVD
Design

Barron, R. A. (1944). The influence of drain wells on the

consolidation of fine-grained soils.
Barron, R. A. (1947). Consolidation of fine –grained soils by
drain wells.
Hansbo, S. (1960). Consolidation of clay, with special reference
to the influence of vertical sand drains.
Hansbo, S. (1981). Consolidation of fine-grained soils by
prefabricated drains.
Zhou, W., Hong, H. P., & Shang, J. Q. (1999). Probabilistic
design method of prefabricated vertical drains for soil
improvement.

9
 Vertical Consolidation Theory

 The evaluation of the vertical consolidation due to vertical

drainage only is based on the one-dimensional consolidation

theory set out

 The assessment of the average degree of consolidation due to

horizontal drainage to the drain is more difficult.

 Radial Consolidation Theory

 The equatıon whıch governs the relatıonshıp between pore

pressure, u, radıal dıstance from the draın (r), and tıme (t)
(ın fact kh = f(t) and ch=f(t)) ıs gıven below.

 Draın effects, smear dısturbance, well resıstance, loadıng

rate, creep effects, approprıate hydraulıc flow formulatıon
can all be ıncluded ın the analyses.

 ∂ 2u 1 ∂u  ∂u
ch  2 +  = u=u0 at t=0 at all place

 ∂r r ∂r  ∂t u=u0 In the draIn at any tIme

 The combined equation for both radial and vertical

drainage: 2
 ∂ u 1 ∂u  ∂ 2u ∂u
ch  2 + .  + cv 2 =
 ∂x x ∂x  ∂z ∂t
 Overall, the degree of consolıdatıon is three dımensıonal.
 The combined degree of consolidation due to radial(horizontal)
and vertical drainage is given (Barron’s solution and Carillo’s
equation)

Uhv= 1- (1-Uh)(1-Uv)
where, Uv ıs the average vertıcal degree of consolıdatıon,
Uh ıs the average horizontal degree of consolıdatıon

12
Choice of parameters
D = diameter of cylindrical soil mass
dewater by a drain
dw = drain diameter

ds = diameter of the zone of smear

2l = depth of drain installation
kh = permeability of the soil in the
horizontal direction
kv = permeability of the soil in the
vertical direction
ks = permeability of the soil of the
smear zone
qw = kwπ dw2/4 = discharge capacity of
the drain in the vertical direction

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 Choice of parameters

Drain Installation Pattern & D

(a) Square pattern, D/2 = 0.565 s ; (b) triangular pattern D/2 = 0.525 s

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 Choice of parameters

Equivalent diameter of PVD (dw)

2( w + t )
 d w = 1979)
(Hansbo,
π

(w + t )
(Atkinson & Eldred, 1981)
dw =


2
 (Long & Covo, 1994)
d w = 0.5w + 0.7t
dw = diameter of drain well and w and t = width and thickness of PVD

15
 Barron’s Theory for Pure
Radial Drainage (1944)

Assumptions
 Darcy´s flow law is valid
 The soil is saturated and homogeneous
 Displacements due to consolidation take place in vertical
direction only
 Excess pore water pressure at the drain well surface is zero
 The cylindrical boundary of the soil mass is impervious
 Excess pore water pressure at the upper and lower
boundaries of the soil mass is zero
 No vertical flow at half the depth of soil mass
 No smear zone & well resistance

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 de
d w = 2(a + b) / Π
a b
−8Th
dw
Uh = 1− e F (n)

( )
Equivalent cylindrical drain

 n2  3n 2 − 1
Tributary clay cylinder

F (n) =  2  ln(n) −
PVD

 n − 1  4 n 2

≈ ln(n) − 0.75

ch .t de
Th = 2 n=
de dw

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Solution to Vertical and Radial
Drainage

18
Design Charts for Vertical and
Radial Drainage

19
Solution to Combined Drainage

Note: λ is zero if no horizontal drainage 20

 Example 1

 Given: Saturated clay layer 8 m thick, impermeable lower

boundary, PVD size: 104 mm x 5 mm at 2m c/c spacing in
square pattern, cv = 2 m2 /year, ch = 3 m2 /year.
Find: Calculate the time required for 90% degree of
consolidation of the clay layer as a result of an extensive fill?

Solution:

21
Model for Vertical Drain with
Smear Zone

22
 Smear Effect

An annulus of smeared clay around the drain. Within this

annulus of diameter ds, the remolded soil has a coefficient of
permeability ks which is lower than the kh of the
Undisturbed clay.

n  kh 
Fs (n) = ln  − 0.75 +   ln(s ) ds
s  ks 
kh
Where, s is smear zone ratio = ds/dw ks

23
24
 Choice of parameters

The zone of smear (ds)

The effect on the consolidation parameters for the

disturbance caused by the installation of drains depend on:
 Method of drain installation
 Size and shape of mandrel
 Soil structure

Two problems exists:

 To find the correct diameter value ds
 To evaluate the effect of smear on the permeability

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 Choice of parameters

The zone of smear (ds)

 To find the correct diameter value ds

As = 1.6 Across-sectional mandrel (Hird & Moseley, 1997)

 To evaluate the effect

k of smear on the permeability
h
=2
s
(Terzaghi et al. 1996)
k

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 Choice of parameters

Other parameters

kh
 = 1− 5
(Terzaghi et al. 1996)

kv

 The coefficient of horizontal consolidation (cv &

c h)
kh
ch = cv
kv
(Rixner et al. 1986)

27
 Vertical Drains: Design Criteria

Steps: (Assuming no smear zone)

1.Calculate Tv; for given cv, H, and t.
2.We know, Uv,r = 0.9
3.Find Uh from steps 1 & 2. use Uv,r = 1-(1-Uh)(1-Uv)
4.Assume spacing ‘s’, calculate de, n, F(n) and Th (use cht/de2)
5.Then, find Uh; Uh = 1-exp(-8Th/F(n))

1.Compare Uh from steps 5 with step 3.

2.If they are not equal, change the spacing and repeat step 5.
When Uh matches with that calculated in step 3, then that is the
design spacing.

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 Vertical Drains: Design Criteria

 Steps: (if smear zone presents)

Proposed method derived from Equal-Strain consolidation.
Given conditions are cv, ch, t, kh, kv, ks (smear permeability in horizontal
direction), ds, dw. Spacing has to be found out.
1. Calculate Tv; for given cv, H, and t.
We know, Uv,r = 0.9
Find Uh from steps 1 & 2. use Uv,r = 1-(1-Uh)(1-Uv)
Uh = 1-exp(-8Th/m)
Assume spacing ‘s’, calculate de, find ‘m’ from Figure (m vs kh/ks for
various n= de/dw values and S = ds/dw), and Th (use cht/de2)
Then, find Uh
Compare Uh from both the methods.
If they are not equal, change the spacing and repeat the steps. When Uh
matches with that calculated in the first method, then that is the design
spacing.
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 Where,

n2 n s 2  kh  n 2
m = ( 2 2 ) ln  − 0.75 + 2 +  ( 2 2 ) ln(s )
n −s s 4n  k s  n − s

30
 REFERENCES
 McGown, A. & Hughes, F. H.; “Practical aspects of vertical drain design and installation of
deep vertical drains”; Vertical Drains, Thomas Telford Publications Ltd., London, 1982
 Atkinson, M. A. & Eldred, P. J. L.; “Consolidation of soil using vertical drains”; Vertical Drains,
Thomas Telford Publications Ltd., London, 1982
 Hansbo, S., Jamiolkowski, M. & Kok, L.; “Consolidation by vertical drains”; Vertical Drains,
Thomas Telford Publications Ltd., London, 1982
 Sharma, J. S. & Xiao, D.(2000); “Characterisation of a smear zone around vertical drains by
largescale laboratory tests”; Canadian Geotechnical Journal, Vol. 37, pp. 1265-1271
 Chai, Jun-Chun & Miura, Norihiko(March, 1999); “Investigation of the factors affecting vertical
drain behaviour”; Journal of Geotechnical and Environmental Engineering, Vol. 125, No. 3, pp. 216-
226
 Onoue, Atsuo (December, 1998); “Consolidation by vertical drains taking well resistance and
smear into consideration”; Soils and Foundation, Japanese society of SMFE, Vol. 28, No. 4, pp.
165-1
 Indraratna, B. & Redana, I. W. (February, 1998); “Laboratory determination of smear zone due
to vertical drain installation”; Journal of Geotechnical and Environmental Engineering, Vol. 124,
No. 2, pp. 180-184
 Mitchell, J. K.(1980); “Soil improvement – State-of-the-art report”; Proceedings of the Tenth
International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Stockholm, 15-19 June, pp.
509-565
 Lorenzo, G. A., Bergado, D. T., Bunthai, W., Hormdee, D., & Phothiraksanon, P. (Article in Press);
“Innovations and performances of PVD and dual function geosynthetic applications”;
Geotextiles and Geomembranes
 Jeon, H. Y., Kim, S. H., Chung, Y. I., Yoo, H. K. & Mlynarek, J. (October 2003); “Assesments of long
term filtration performance fo degradable prefabricated drains”; Polymer Testing, Vol. 22,
Iss. 7, pp. 779-784
 Advanced soil mechanics by B. M. Das