Compression Tests of Ultra-Soft Soil Using an Hydraulic Consolidation Cell

Abstract

Abstract Compression behavior and compression parameters in the ultra-soft soil stage are still not well understood. In ultra-soft soil stage, the process of compression does not follow Terzaghi's unique relationship of deformation and effective stress gain principle, and the large deformation with little or no effective stress gain occurred in this stage. One-step loading compression tests were conducted, using a large diameter hydraulic consolidation cell (Rowe Cell). Vertical displacement and pore pressure behavior were measured during the deformation process. The transition point between slurry and soil stage determined from various methods are discussed. Approximate determination of compression indices in slurry stage from one-step high pressure loading was described in the paper. Step loading compression tests were also carried out with hydraulic consolidation cells on an ultra-soft soil with radial drainage conditions. Based on these test results, new compression parameters C*c1, C*c2, and C*c3 are introduced in this paper. The correlation between e*10 and void ratio at liquid limit eL is proposed. With this information, the total settlement at various loadings can be determined using the proposed equations. The prediction of time-rate of settlement could even be made using the coefficient of large strain consolidation CF estimated from the void ratio-permeability relationship. The computed magnitude and time rate of settlement agreed well with measured data. The dimensionless time factor curves for various radial drainage conditions are also proposed.