Electro-osmotic consolidation of soft Bangkok clay with prefabricated vertical drains

The response of reconstituted soft Bangkok clay to electroosmotic consolidation was investigated using the small cylinder electro-osmotic cell and the large consolidometer. Test results indicated that employing electro-osmosis to induce consolidation produced a 3 to 4·4 times faster rate of consolidation. An 11·6–58% increase in shear strength with the reduction of water content was achieved for treated samples. In contrast, only 9·8–19·5% increase in shear strength was achieved without treatment. It was found that the 120 V/m voltage gradient and the 24 h duration of polarity reversal interval had maximum effect on the shear strength distributions and settlements between the electrodes. Nous avons etudie la reponse d'une argile tendre reconstituee de Bangkok a la consolidation electro-osmotique en utilisant la petite cellule electro-osmotique cylindrique et le grand consolidometre. Les resultats des essais montrent que l'emploi de l'electro-osmose comme moyen de consolidation produit une consolidation de...