Soil Mechanics CIVL2410 10.

Consolidation 1
10. Analysis of Consolidation
Contents
1. Introduction: the consolidation process 1
2. Derivation of the equation of consolidation for 1D conditions 2
!. "oundar# Conditions $
4. Initial Conditions $
$. %he &quation of Consolidation for a 'o(o)eneous Soil $
*. +nal#tic Solutions to the equations of consolidation *
a, %-o-a# draina)e *
., /ne-a# draina)e 0
1. Introduction: the consolidation process
1ro( the response of soils under onedi(ensional conditions it is apparent that -hen the
effective stress increases there -ill .e a tendenc# for the soil to co(press. 'o-ever2 -hen a load
is applied to a saturated soil speci(en this co(pression does not occur i((ediatel#. %his
.ehaviour is a consequence of the soil constituents2 the s3eletal (aterial and pore -ater2 .ein)
al(ost inco(pressi.le co(pared to the soil ele(ent4 defor(ation can onl# ta3e place .# -ater
.ein) squee5ed out of the voids. %his can onl# occur at a finite rate and so initiall# -hen the soil
is loaded it under)oes no volu(e chan)e.
6nder one di(ensional conditions this i(plies that there can .e no vertical strain and thus no
chan)e in vertical effective stress. 1or 1D conditions -e have


zz v
F I
e
e
C
e
= =

+
=

+

1 1
log( / )
71,
'ence if 8
v
9 0 then e 9 0 and s:
1
9 s:
I
.
;hen the load is first applied the total stress increases2 .ut as sho-n a.ove for 1D conditions
there can .e no instantaneous chan)e in vertical effective stress2 this i(plies that the pore
pressure (ust increase .# e<actl# the sa(e a(ount as the total stress as:
=s: 9 =s =u 72,
Su.sequentl# there -ill .e flo- fro( re)ions of hi)her e<cess pore pressure to re)ions of lo-er
e<cess pore pressure2 the e<cess pore pressures -ill dissipate2 the effective stress -ill chan)e
and the soil -ill defor( 7consolidate, -ith ti(e. %his is sho-n sche(aticall# in 1i)ure 1.
Figure 1: Variation of stress, pore pressure and settlement with time.
Soil Mechanics CIVL2410 10. Consolidation 2
2. Derivation of the equation of consolidation for 1-D conditions
If -e assu(e that the pore fluid and soil s3eleton are inco(pressi.le2 then:
Volu(e decrease of the soil 9 Volu(e of pore fluid -hich flo-s out
and thus
>ate of volu(e decrease of soil 9 >ate at -hich pore fluid flo-s out
In derivin) the equations )overnin) consolidation -e -ill consider onl# onedi(ensional
conditions -ith purel# vertical soil (ove(ents and -ater flo-s. %he solutions o.tained -ill onl#
.e strictl# relevant to the vertical consolidation of relativel# thin soil la#ers occurrin) as a result of
e<tensive unifor( loadin). 7%his is a co((on situation,. + si(ilar approach can .e follo-ed for
(ore )eneral loadin) .ut the resultin) equations can onl# .e solved nu(ericall#.
Figure : Flow of pore fluid into an element of soil
Soil Mechanics CIVL2410 10. Consolidation !
>eferrin) to 1i)ure 2 it can .e seen that:
%he rate at -hich -ater enters the ele(ent
A z
z
v
A t z v t z z v
=
+ =

)) , ( ) , ( (
%he rate of volu(e decrease of the ele(ent A z
t
!
v

and thus:
t
v

=
z
v
7!,
-here: v 9 the pore fluid velocit#2

v
9 the ele(ent volu(e strain2
and + 9 the cross sectional area of the ele(ent.
It -ill also .e assu(ed that Darc#:s la- holds and thus that
v "
h
z
v
=

74,
In appl#in) Darc#:s la- it is onl# the velocit# due to the consolidation process that is of interest2
and consequentl# the head in equ. 74, is the excess head due to the consolidation process 7not
the total head,. %he excess head is related to the excess pore -ater pressure .#:

h
u
w
=

7$,
Soil Mechanics CIVL2410 10. Consolidation 4
?ote that the elevation is not involved in 7$, .ecause it onl# relates the e<cess heads and -ater
pressures. 1ro( 7!,2 74, and 7$, it follo-s that

z
"
u
z t
v
v
# $ = 7*,
If it is also assu(ed that the soil ele(ent responds elasticall# to a chan)e in effective stress then:

v v e
m =
7@,
;here:
e
9 the chan)e in effective stress fro( the ori)inal value2
9
e
u 7A,
-ith
e
9 the increase in total stress over the ori)inal value2
u 9 the increase in pore -ater pressure over the ori)inal value
7e<cess pore -ater pressure,
and (
v
9 the coefficient of volu(e decrease2
%he value of (
v
(ust .e deter(ined over the appropriate effective stress ran)e .ecause it
depends on the (ean effective stress. %his can .e seen .# considerin) the relation .et-een
voids ratio and effective stress:
e % C = log
1&

and hence:
d e
Cd
=

' .
no-:

v v
e
e
C d
e
m d =
+
=

+
=

1 ' 1 . ( )
70,
%hus (
v
depends on .oth voids ratio e2 and effective stress2 s:.
Co(.ination of equations 7*,2 7@, and 7A, leads to the equation of consolidation:

z
" u
z
m
u
t t
v
w
v
e
# $ # $ =
710,
%he equation of consolidation (ust .e solved su.Bect to certain .oundar# conditions and initial
conditions.
3. Boundary Conditions
+t a .oundar# -here the soil is free to drain the pore -ater pressure -ill .e constant and -ill not
chan)e durin) consolidation. 1or such a .oundar# the excess pore -ater pressure -ill .e 5ero.
u 9 0 at a per(ea.le .oundar# 711a,
Soil Mechanics CIVL2410 10. Consolidation $
+t an i(per(ea.le .oundar# the pore -ater velocit# perpendicular to the .oundar# -ill .e 5ero
and thus fro( Darc#:s la-:

u
z
= & at an i(per(ea.le .oundar# 711.,
4. Initial Conditions
+t the instant of loadin) there is no volu(e strain and thus no chan)e in vertical effective stress.
+t this instant the excess pore -ater pressure -ill .e equal to the initial increase in total stress.
u
e
= at the instant of loadin). 712,
5. he !quation of Consolidation for a "o#o$eneous %oil
If the soil la#er .ein) considered is ho(o)eneous then equation 710, .eco(es:
(
u
z
u
t t
v
e

= 71!,
;here:
(
"
m
v
v
v w
=

is called the coefficient of consolidation.

%he coefficient of consolidation 7C
v
, can .e esti(ated usin) the oedo(eter apparatus as can the
coefficient of volu(e decrease 7(
v
,. %he procedure to do this -ill .e discussed in the la.orator#
classes 7see la. notes,. It is difficult 7ti(e consu(in), to (easure the per(ea.ilit# of cla#s 73
v
, and
so the value of per(ea.ilit# is usuall# inferred fro( the values of C
v
and (
v
.
&. 'nalytic %olutions to the equations of consolidation
a) Two-way drainage
1i)ure ! represents a la#er of cla# of thic3ness 2' su.Bected to a unifor( surface stress q
applied at ti(e t 9 0 and held constant thereafter. %he cla# la#er is free to drain at .oth its top
and .otto( .oundaries. %his is called t-o-a# draina)e.
Figure ': )omogeneous (la* la*er free to drain from +oth upper and lower +oundaries.
Soil Mechanics CIVL2410 10. Consolidation *
%he increase in stress throu)hout the la#er and does not var# -ith ti(e and so

e
q =
&quation 710, therefore .eco(es:
t
u
z
u
c
v

714a,
%he cla# la#er is free to drain at its upper and lo-er .oundar# and so:
u 9 0 -hen 5 9 0 for t C 0 714.,
u 9 0 -hen 5 9 2' for t C 0 714c,
Initiall# the e<cess pore pressure -ill Bust (atch the increase in total stress so that there -ill .e
no instantaneous volu(e chan)e and thus:
u 9 q -hen t 9 0 for 0 D 5 D 2' 714d,
It can .e sho-n that the solution of equations 714 a2.2c2d, is:
u , - e
n
n
n
.
n v
=
=

1
&

sin( )
71$,
-here E
n
9 7n F G,
H 9
z
)
2 a di(ensionless distance.
%
v
9
( t
)
v

2 a di(ensionless ti(e.
?otice that ' -hich occurs in .oth di(ensionless quantities is the (a<i(u( draina)e path
len)th.
Soil Mechanics CIVL2410 10. Consolidation @
%he settle(ent of the soil la#er can .e deter(ined .# su((in) the vertical 79 volu(e, strains2
)ivin):
/ dz
m , u dz
v
)
v
)
=
=

&

&

( )
71*a,
and the variation of settle(ent -ith ti(e can .e o.tained .# su.stitutin) in equation 71$, -hich
)ives the variation of u -ith ti(e and depth.
/ m ,
-
e dz
v
n
n
.
)
n v
=

&
&

sin

)ivin)
/ m , )
e
v
.
n
n
n v
=

&

71*.,
?otin) that the final settle(ent of the la#er2 S

9 (
v
q 2' the settle(ent (a# .e -ritten:
/
/
0

= =
1

&

e
n v
.
n
n

71*c,
-here 6 is 3no-n as the degree of settlement.
%he variation of e<cess pore pressure -ithin the la#er is sho-n in 1i)ure 4 7also in data sheets,.
Figure 1: Variation of e2(ess pore pressure with depth
Soil Mechanics CIVL2410 10. Consolidation A
%90.A 0.$ 0.! 0.2 0.1
0
1
2
0.0 0.$ 1.0
H95I'
uIq
%he lines on 1i)ure 4 represent the variation of pore pressure -ith depth at different non
di(ensionalised ti(es 7%,. %hese lines are 3no-n as isochrones. It can .e seen that initiall# the
e<cess pore pressure is constant 7uIq 9 1, throu)hout the la#er. ;ith ti(e the pore -ater flo-s
fro( the interior of the la#er to the draina)e .oundaries2 and the e<cess pore pressures dissipate
until after a ver# lon) ti(e there are no e<cess pore pressures.
%he variation of settle(ent -ith ti(e is (ost convenientl# plotted in the for( of the de)ree of
settle(ent 76, versus di(ensionless ti(e %
v
2 and this is illustrated in 1i)ure $ 7also in data
sheets,
Figure 3: 4egree of settlement versus dimensionless time.
10
!
10
2
10
1
1 10
Di(ensionless %i(e %
v
0.00
0.2$
0.$0
0.@$
1.00
6
>elation of de)ree of
settle(ent and ti(e
%here are several useful appro<i(ations for the de)ree of settle(ent2 vi5:
Soil Mechanics CIVL2410 10. Consolidation 0
) 15 (
) .. & (
6
1
) . & (
1
1 /

>
=

v
T
v
v
T e U
T
T
U
v

alternativel# 1i)ure $ (a# .e used. It is -orth re(e(.erin) that 6 9 0.$ -hen %

v
9 0.10@.
b) One-way drainage
1i)ure * represents a la#er of cla# of thic3ness ' su.Bected to a unifor( surface stress q applied
at ti(e t 9 0 and held constant thereafter. %he cla# la#er is free to drain at its top .oundar# .ut
is una.le to drain at its .ase. %his is called one-a# draina)e.
Figure 7: )omogeneous saturated (la* la*er on an impermea+le +ase.
%he increase in stress throu)hout the la#er and does not var# -ith ti(e and so:

e
q =
&quation 7*, therefore .eco(es:
t
u
z
u
c
v

71Aa,
%he cla# la#er is free to drain at its upper .oundar# and as .efore

& = u
-hen 5 9 0 for t C 0 71A.,
at the lo-er .oundar#:

u
z
= & -hen 5 9 ' for t C 0 71Ac,
Initiall# the e<cess pore pressure -ill Bust (atch the increase in total stress so that there -ill .e
no instantaneous volu(e chan)e and thus:
u 9 q -hen t 9 0 for 0 D 5 D ' 71Ad,
Soil Mechanics CIVL2410 10. Consolidation 10
>eference to 1i)ure 4 reveals that solution 71$, also satisfies the condition

u
z
= & -hen 5 9 ' for t C 0
and is thus also the solution for one-a# draina)e 7 the t-o-a# draina)e pro.le( can .e vie-ed
as t-o one-a# draina)e pro.le(s J.ac3 to .ac3:,. 1urther e<a(ination reveals that althou)h
the e<pression for final settle(ent differs for the t-o cases the e<pression for de)ree of
settle(ent is precisel# the sa(e.
&<a(ple Calculation of settle(ent at a )iven ti(e
1i)ure @ sho-s a soil profile2 it can .e assu(ed that the sand and )ravel are far (ore per(ea.le
than the cla# and so consolidation in the( -ill have occurred instantaneousl#.
Figure 5: 8a*ered soil deposit.
It is assu(ed that the final settle(ent has for each of the cla# la#ers has .een deter(ined .# the
(ethods descri.ed in the previous sections and that their values are as indicated on 1i)ure @. It
is required to find the settle(ent after 1 #ear
7a, Settle(ent of the upper cla# la#er:
In layer 1 there is t-o-a# draina)e and so the draina)e path ' 9 2 (.
.
( t
)
v
v
= =

=

& 1

&1
.1
.
6sin) 1i)ure $ it can .e seen that 6 9 0.!*
and thus the settle(ent of layer 1 9 100 < 0.!* 9 !* ((
7., Settle(ent of the lo-er cla# la#er:
In layer 2 there is one-a# draina)e and so the draina)e path ' 9 $ (.
.
( t
)
v
v
= =

=

& 3 1
3
& &
.
.
Soil Mechanics CIVL2410 10. Consolidation 11
6sin) 1i)ure $ it can .e seen that 6 9 0.1*
and thus the settle(ent of layer 2 9 40 < 0.!* 9 *.4 ((
%he total settle(ent after 1 year is thus 9 !* F *.4 9 42.4 ((
&<a(ple 6se of scalin).
+n oedo(eter speci(en reaches $0K settle(ent after 2 (inutes. If the speci(en is 10 (( thic3
calculate the ti(e for $0K settle(ent of a 10 ( thic3 la#er under conditions of one-a# draina)e.
In order that the test (a# .e carried out as quic3l# as possi.le oedo(eter tests are nor(all#
conducted -ith t-o-a# draina)e and thus the draina)e path in the oedo(eter 9 $ (( 9 0.00$
(.
1or the oedo(eter test
.
( t
)
(
(
v
v v
v
= =

=

& &&3
6&&&&
.
1or the cla# la#er the draina)e path is 10(.
.
( t
)
( t ( t
v
v v v
= =

=


1& 1&&
Since the de)ree of settle(ent for the t-o cases is the sa(e the t-o values of the di(ensionless
ti(e2 %
v
are equal and so:
6&&&&
1&&
6&&&&&& 13 (
( t
thus t *ears
v
v
= = = min .
&<a(ple Calculation of the coefficient of consolidation.
%he data in the previous e<a(ple can .e used to calculate C
v
. %he di(ensionless ti(e for $0K
consolidation is %
v
9 0.10@ 7fro( 1i)ure $ %
v
0.2, thus:
&195 6&&&& 1& 191
7

. .173
min
. = = =

( thus (
m m
*ear
v v
end