Numerical model of electro-osmotic consolidation in clay

Abstract

Electro-osmotic consolidation is a unique soil improvement technique. A physics-based model for electro-osmotic consolidation is proposed, in which Biot's consolidation equation is coupled with the electro-osmotic flow and control equation for an electrical field, and the displacement of soil mass and pore-water pressure can be obtained. Furthermore, the non-linear variation of the mechanical and electrical properties of the soil mass during consolidation is incorporated into the model. The numerical solution agrees well with the analytical solution. The developed model can predict the ground displacement and provide useful data for the design of an electro-osmosis treatment system.