Effect of various initial excess pore water pressure distributions on 1-D consolidation of clays

Abstract

Most of the geotechnical textbooks explains the plane-strain consolidation with the aid of Terzaghi’s one-dimensional linear consolidation theory and the solutions are presented by assuming that the initial excess pore water pressure (PWP) developed uniformly in the consolidating layer. In this article, the one-dimensional consolidation of clays is studied by assuming various symmetric and asymmetric distribution of initial excess PWP (u 0). The present analysis is carried out by employing finite difference numerical scheme. The variation of pore pressure isochrones normalized with respect to the externally applied constant load and the trend of the consolidating curves for different distributions of u 0 are extensively evaluated and critically analysed. The deviations of the results from the conventional assumption of constant u 0 seems to be significant. A new approach has been developed to study the consolidation phenomenon through the locus of the maximum point of the isochrones. © 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.