Laboratory determination of coefficient of consolidation from pore water pressure measurement

Abstract

In the recent past, many studies have been carried out on the determination of coefficient of consolidation (cv) from the time (t)–deformation (d) data obtained from conventional consolidation tests. Several researchers have also proposed different curve fitting procedures for determining cv from the t–d data. It is anticipated that the cv values obtained from the t–d data may be influenced by initial and secondary compressions. Nevertheless, the pore water pressure data measured during the consolidation process will be independent of initial and secondary compressions. In this study, the conventional Asaoka (1978) method is extended to evaluate cv and end-of-primary (EOP) consolidation from the pore water pressure data measured from laboratory experiments. Laboratory experiments were carried out on the modified one-dimensional consolidation apparatus on different remoulded clay samples measuring pore water pressure during the consolidation process. The cv and EOP computed from the proposed approach have been compared with the results of the t–d data and found to be in good agreement.