ISSN: 0149-6115
Published Online: 31 August 2005
Page Count: 9

Efficiency of Seepage Consolidation for Preparation of Clay Substrate for Centrifuge Testing

Lee, J
Graduate Research Assistant,Ohio State University,OH,

Fox, PJ
Professor,Ohio State University,OH,

(Received 22 December 2003; accepted 27 April 2005)

Abstract

Seepage consolidation under normal gravity conditions can be used to prepare clay soil substrates for subsequent testing in a geotechnical centrifuge. Currently available information provides no information regarding the general efficiency of this method, which would be expected to vary widely depending on centrifuge, test specimen, and operating conditions. A numerical investigation is presented of the efficiency of the two-stage seepage/centrifuge consolidation method for the preparation of normally consolidated clay substrates. Large strain consolidation simulations and experimental data for centrifuge and seepage/centrifuge consolidation tests conducted on reconstituted Singapore marine clay are in excellent agreement. A parametric study illustrates the effects of initial specimen void ratio, initial specimen height, surcharge stress, swelling time, and acceleration factor on the efficiency of the two-stage substrate preparation method. Efficiency of the method for Singapore marine clay ranged from 55 to essentially 100% for the simulations conducted.

Keywords:
geotechnical centrifuge, consolidation, specimen preparation, seepage, large strain, clay

Paper ID: GTJ12516
DOI: 10.1520/GTJ12516
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