Republic of Iraq

Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research

University of Technology

Building and Construction Department

Geotechnical Engineering MSc

Advanced soil Mechanics

Laboratory
Different test methods for
obtaining consolidation
parameters

Prepared By

Kamal K. Alwan
Whenever a load. Such as that due to structural foundation, is placed on the
ground, some degree of settlement will occur even of the applied pressure is well
within the sage bearing capacity of the soil. The limitation of settlements to
within tolerable limits is sometimes of greater significance in foundation design
than limitation imposed by bearing capacity requirements derived from shear
strength
The long-term consolidation of clays was first noted by Terzaghi (1925), and it was
then Terzaghi proposed a theoretical approach to the consolidation process, and
designed the first consolidation apparatus which named an oedometer, it was
not until 1936 that the first mathematical theory of consolidation was published
by Terzaghi and Frohlich and after 1945 it was adopted to be the standard
laboratory procedure for consolidation testing
With the advancement of our understanding of the consolidation and it is
parameters, using the same principles of Terzaghi theory, more methods are
developed to measure the consolidation of soils each designated for a specific
feature of the sample to be tested for a better resemblance with actual soil
behave in situ, mainly these tests have the same principle of the oedometer test
but the difference is the mean of application the stress to the soil and obtaining
the test results.
The main mothed for determination the consolidation properties for soils are
1- The oedometer consolidation test and itself has been used in two method
a- Incremental loading (continuous loading)
b- Controlled strain loading (CRS)
c- Constant rate of loading (CRL)
d- Controlled gradient consolidation test (CG)
e- Constant rate of loading / pore water pressure ratio
2- Consolidation parameters using triaxial test
3- Consolidation test using seepage force
4- Consolidation Parameters by Self Weight Consolidation Test in Centrifuge
5- In situ Evaluation methods
a- Penetration tests
b- Plate loading test
laboratory method will be discussed individually displaying it is theories and
features

The oedometer consolidation test

The test is carried out by applying a sequence of four to eight vertical loads to a
laterally confined specimen having a height of about one quarter of its diameter.
The vertical compression under each load is observed over a period of time,
usually up to 24 h. since no lateral deformation is allowed it is a one-dimension
test, from which one dimension consolidation parameters are derived where from
analyzing the readings of loads verses strain (void ration) the compression index
can be found and from the data obtained by the strain with time for a single
loading the Coefficient of consolidation can be found

Automatic and manual One dimensional consolidation by incremental load test devices

A compete test requires approximately 10 days to finish for 8 loadings while by

using an automatic device it will performs all consolidation tests, including moving
to the next stress level, without operator assistance. The system automatically
moves through the different test parameters specified by the user with
incremental consolidation tests typically being completed in 24 to 48 hours. The
software uses sample deformation readings taken from the displacement
transducer and load readings from the load cell to maintain a constant applied
stress or strain to the sample through the use of an accurate stepper motor. Test
results are recorded and rendered in real-time on the computer screen while test
data is stored and calculations are performed automatically.
In this test the consolidation will end with an increment of one of the loads and
the exact load for 100% consolidation cannot be found directly while using (CRS)
test and applying a constant strain rate the exact load causing 100% consolidation
can be found more accurately, it must be noted that the Skempton parameter B
has to be near to unit in order to continuous loading test give us reliable values of
the consolidation parameters.

TRIAXAIL test
The constant-rate-of-deformation procedure makes it possible to follow the
stress-strain characteristics of the soil past failure, e.g., toward the "ultimate"
condition and some engineers consider that it makes the collection of data
simpler. Its disadvantages include more expensive apparatus and the fact that a
deformation rate must be chosen from theory, or special experiments, to give an
adequate degree of consolidation at failure. It is possible to use deformation rates
that are too fast and not be aware of the resulting errors, e.g., measurement of
excessively low strengths for normally consolidated soils and excessively high
strengths for highly overconsolidated samples. Special consideration will now be
given to the analysis of this deformation rate and to supporting experimental
data.The coefficient of consolidation is usually obtained from the final
consolidation stage just prior to shear, using equations below. As an example of
the calculation, for the specimen whose consolidation curve is shown in Fig. 1, the
average value of 2H during consolidation was 2.81 inches, 2H/D = 2, and tioo = 80
minutes, so c becomes:

If the average height during shear is 2.59 inches and the desired values for the
average degree of consolidation at failure is 95%, the time for consolidation is
Consolidation test using seepage force
The consolidation test using seepage force is a new style developed in Japan and
used for hydraulically dredged clay materials, that performs by applying the
seepage force of the specimen prepared by sedimentation in a consolidometer.
The principle that the seepage force is converted into consolidation stress is at
first presented. From this procedure all consolidation constants and compression
curve as well can be determined performing following three measurement in the
state of steady seepage flow realized after the completion of consolidation;
1- Distribution of pore water pressures
2- Water content within the specimen
3- Velocity of the flow passing through the specimen
Bu using this method, consolidation constants were determined in the wide range
of stress from the very low stress of 0.01 KN/m2 to 50 KN/m2
Principle
In the conventional oedometer tests, loading weights are applied on the surface
of specimen step by step; normally consolidation is caused by the surface force. In
the hydraulic consolidation test, on the other hand, every element in a specimen
is consolidated by the seepage force acting on the element; namely, consolidation
is caused by the body force. To understand the mechanism controlling the
consolidation by seepage force, it should be clarified here how the seepage force
is converted into the effective consolidation stress. The fig. below shows a stress
state of an element is specimen, through which seepage water steadily flows
downward. Since the total stress difference between the elevation z and z+dz
results from only total weight of the element

The relationship of stress and flow can be mathematically solved in to the

equation below

= +

Which means that the gradient of effective consolidation stress is caused by the
action of seepage force and by the buoyant weight of soil. In other words,
seepage force and buoyant weight of soil in converted into the effective
consolidation stress
The different approach of seepage force from the conventional oedometer test
can be shown in the fig. below
Test apparatus used in the test is illustrated in the fig below, were high heads are
used to ensure flow velocity and therefor seepage force for the consolidation
process, the test usually last less than a day by taking pressure readings at
different times until the end of consolidation which can be noticed from the
variation rate of readings

Determination of consolidation parameters by self-weight

consolidation test in centrifuge
Consolidation parameters such as volume compressibility and permeability of a
very soft slurry clay are difficult to obtain from conventional oedometer test. A
self-weight consolidation test in centrifuge is available as an alternative test.
The test is basically a model test to simulate the field behavior of filled clay slurry.
It can be utilized as a method to obtain the consolidation parameters of this type
of soft clay, although there are some difficulties facing this method such as
particles segregation due to centrifuge but this method provides an accurate
consolidation parameters for large strain soils
The general configuration of a centrifuge consolidation test is shown in the fig
below, the centrifuge spins in the horizontal plane with angular velocity . The
initial Hight of the specimen is Ho and the distance from the axis of rotation to the
base of the specimen in a fully extended specimen container is . Spatial
coordinate z in defined as positive inward from the base of the specimen.
Acceleration factor N varies linearly with z per the following equation
=
Where No is the acceleration factor at the base of the specimen and is the rate
of increase of acceleration factor with depth

The initial geometry of the soil specimen at the beginning of centrifuge (t=0) is
shown in the fig. below. Friction against the sides of the specimen container is
neglected such that the specimen can be treated as a one-dimensional column.
The soil is assumed to be an idealized two-phase homogeneous material in which
both the soil particles and pore fluid are incompressible.
The column of soil is divided into Rj elements, each Jth element having unit cross-
sectional area, initial height Lo , a central node located at initial elevation Zo and
initial void ration eo , the top and bottom boundaries of the specimen can be
specified as drained or impermeable. Drained boundaries are hydraulically
connected to a water surface at constant elevation Hw above the datum. The
effective stress at top of the column is currently assumed to be zero in the CCI
model although the method can be accommodate any constant stress value from
a surcharge mass that increases with settlement of the specimen. With the
beginning of centrifuge excess pore pressure created as a result of the new
acceleration field cause fluid flow from the interior of the column to all drainage
boundaries. Soil deformation occurs in response to the net fluid outflow from
each element. Node position remain at the center of their respective elements
throughout the consolidation process and are updated at each time step
References
Taylor R.N., Geotechnical Centrifuge Technology page 23-26
Takada, N and Mikasa, M, Determination of Consolidation Parameters by
Selfweight Consolidation Test in Centrifuge, American society for testing and
materials, Philadelphia, 1986, pp. 548-566
Patrick J. Fox, Model for large strain Consolidation, International Journal of
Geomechanics, December 2005/267
Goro Imai, Soils and Foundations, vol 19, No. 3, Sept. 1979 : page 45 to 50
Dr. Roy E. Olson, Apparatus Detail for Triaxial Testing: page 20 to 29