CONSOLIDATION OF SLIGHTLY OVERCONSOLIDATED CLAY

Abstract

Consolidation tests were conducted on a highly plastic slightly overconsolidated clay with different initial conditions. The specimen were prepared from Kuttanad clay remoulded at natural moisture content. A consolidometer was designed to permit the measurement of ,pore water pressure at base of the soil sample.' It was found necessary to deair the porous stone before application of the next increment of load, which was achieved by circulating water through the porous stone. This resulted in considerable increase of pore water pressure response from 30 per cent to 90 per cent of the load increment. Each tect was followed by measurement of permeability. Using IBM 7044 computer, theore-tical rate of pore-pressure dissipation was obtained by numerical analysis, considering change in consolidation characteristics with effective stress as suggested by Raymond (25). The computed pore pressure as well as settlement conformed to the experimental observations. Terzaghi's theory proved inadequate except in the normally consolidated state of the slightly overconsolidated clay. The comouter programme has been extended to non- homou- neous slightly overconsolidated clay.