Electro-osmotic piles

Abstract

The paper introduces the concept of electro-osmotic piles, a concept similar to that of soil displacement ground improvement systems but instead of introducing material it uses electro-osmotic treatment to stiffen the ground by reducing the water content through electrodes in the form of prefabricated vertical drains. The drains are installed vertically to form a grid of anodes and cathodes. The cathodes act as the drains; the anodes become the centres of the ‘piles' at which the maximum increase in stiffness occurs. Laboratory tests using different configurations, time of treatment and voltage showed that there is a balance between the improved overall capacity of the ground, the efficiency of the system and the operational energy. Unlike other ground improvement systems this concept allows the final capacity to be predicted from the improvement process.