Consolidation by Prefabricated Vertical Drains with a Threshold Gradient

Three-Dimensional Analysis of Soft Soil Consolidation improved by Prefabricated Vertical Drains

A system of prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs) with a surcharge load is an effective method for accelerating soil consolidation by promoting radial flow. This study presents a three-dimensional (3D) finite element model for soft soil improved by a single drain. In the finite element analysis, the actual rectangular PVD cross-section is considered, and the equivalent drain diameter is then bac...

Soft soils improved by prefabricated vertical drains: performance and prediction

Effects of partially penetrating prefabricated vertical drains and loading patterns on vacuum consolidation

In this study, numerical modeling of a multi-drain system is employed to determine the optimum penetration depth of prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs) and the vacuum pressure that provides the maximum consolidation settlement and less lateral displacements. The plane strain analysis using an equivalent permeability with transformed unit cell geometry was considered for varying drain length an...

Settlements and Consolidation Rates under Embankments in a Soft Soil with Vertical Drains

In this paper, a study was carried out in order to estimate settlements and consolidation rates under embankments constructed on Moroccan soft soils.  Settlement measurements in several embankments in High Speed Railway project between two Moroccan cities, Tangier and Assilah,  were analyzed. The objective of this study is to estimate settlement values and settlement rates, with sufficient prec...

Performance of Composite and Monolithic Prefabricated Vertical Drains

With the increasing use ofprefabricated vertical drains in the improvement of soft clay there are many types of these drains, both composite (with geotextile wrapping) and monolithic (without geotextile wrapping), available in Malaysia. Some engineers have the impression that all drains perform satisfactorily. However, case studies have shown that there are cases where vertical drains failed to...