Viscosity Effects on One-Dimensional Consolidation of Clay

Abstract

A constitutive relationship for one-dimensional consolidation of clays is presented. It recognizes the importance of structural viscosity and yielding in controlling many of the phenomena associated with the consolidation of clays. The governing equation for the large strain consolidation of clays, incorporating the new constitutive relationship, has been solved using a finite difference technique. The computer program has been verified using laboratory experiments including those performed on an interconnected consolidometer. The laboratory tests and numerical results are used to examine many of the current hypotheses used in predicting field consolidation. The results show that the deformation of thick clays in the field are different from those predicted from a thin laboratory specimen using the square of the drainage length or the uniqueness of the end of primary consolidation concepts. The dominance of the structural viscosity during the primary consolidation stage has been shown to be the main source of the discrepancy.