Fully coupled analysis of consolidation by prefabricated vertical drains with applications of constant strain rate tests: Case studies and an open-source program

Abstract

The paper proposes a new approach to use measured data of the constant strain rate test (CRST) for analysis of consolidation by prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs). Each PVD has an influence zone that idealised as a unit cell. Consolidation behaviour of a unit cell is studied with an axisymmetric finite element (FE) model based on Biot's theory. From a CRST data, ASTM-D4186 or the back-analysis method is used to obtain stress-dependent parameters for the model. An open-source FE software named CONAXIS was developed for these purposes. Data from two projects in Mekong Delta Vietnam were used in this study. In the first project, nine CRSTs with various depths from a borehole were conducted. Two tests were chosen to be simulated using the proposed approach implemented in CONAXIS and the soft soil model in PLAXIS for validation and comparison purposes. Comparing to the laboratory data, CONAXIS gave more accurate results than PLAXIS. Then CONAXIS was used to calculate the settlement of the ground surface during the construction process with different scenarios. For the second project, six CRSTs from three boreholes were used to set up the model in CONAXIS. Modelled results of both projects showed good agreements with field monitoring data.