Evaluation of electric vertical drain performance in consolidating marine clay

Abstract

<P>IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT NEW USES AND APPLICATION OF GEOSYNTHETICS CAN BE CREATED BY INCORPORATING ELECTRO-KINETIC PHENOMENA WITH THE TRADITIONAL FUNCTIONS OF GEOSYNTHETICS MATERIALS. THIS ENTAILS THE DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVE VERTICAL DRAINS (EVD) WHICH INCORPORATES THE FUNCTION OF PVD IN PROVIDING DRAINAGE AS WELL AS THE CONDUCTIVE GEOSYNTHETICS MATERIALS TO ALLOW THE SUPPLY OF ELECTRIC CURRENT INTO THE CLAY SO AS TO CONSOLIDATE THE CLAY. </P><P>THE FIRST PART OF THIS PROJECT EXAMINES THE PERFORMANCE OF EVD IN SINGAPORE MARINE CLAY UNDER DIFFERENT VOLTAGE GRADIENT TO ESTABLISH THE BASIC CHARACTERISTIC OF ELECTRO-OSMOSIS (EO) TREATMENT VIA EVD. POLARITY REVERSAL TECHNIQUE WAS NOT IMPLEMENTED IN THESE TESTS TO MINIMIZE THE COMPLEXITY OF THE STUDIES. PARAMETERS MONITORED INCLUDED SHEAR STRENGTH, WATER CONTENT, ATTERBERGA??S LIMITS, PRE-CONSOLIDATION PRESSURES, CURRENT VARIATION, VOLTAGE LOSSES AT THE ELECTRODES, EFFECTIVE VOLTAGE GRADIENT TRANSFERRED INTO THE SOIL AND ENERGY