Vacuum Preloading Combined with Electroosmotic Dewatering of Dredger Fill Using the Vertical-Layered Power Technology of a Novel Tubular Electrokinetic Geosynthetics: Test and Numerical Simulation

Abstract

A novel tubular EKG material in electroosmotic field test combined with a vacuum preloading method was first conducted in a reclamation project in Ningbo, China, by using a vertical-layered power technology aiming to improve the drainage effect of the deep soil. The reinforcement effect of this tubular EKG was compared with that of conventional plate EKG by monitoring the strength, water content, settlement, and pore pressure accumulation. Test results show that soil in the tubular EKG treatment area had higher strength, larger settlement, and faster dissipation of pore water pressure. The advantage of the vertical-layered power technology in deep soil reinforcement was demonstrated by test and numerical simulations. Simulations results showed that vertical-layered power technology from bottom to top layers was more effective for deep soil reinforcement due to longer energization time. Theoretical equations and numerical simulations have demonstrated that rather than being due to a larger effective electric field distributed, the superior effect of tubular EKG lies in its larger cross section not being easy clogged. This study demonstrates the advantages of tubular EKG electrodes and vertical-layered power technology in reinforcing deep soil and makes a progressive exploration to expand the application of electroosmosis reinforcement.