doi:10.3850/GI192


PVD Enhancement with Vacuum Pressure for Soft Bangkok Clay Improvement


J. Saowapakpiboon1,a, D. T. Bergado1,b, S. Artidteang2, S. T. Montalbo1,c and N. Teerachaikulpanich3

1School of Engineering and Technology, Asian Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 4, Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand.

ast103619@ait.ac.th
bbergado@ait.ac.th
cacsig@ait.ac.th

2International Engineering Consultants Co., Ltd., 170/13 Ocean Tower 1, 6th Flr., Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110, Thailand.

kampun_kwang@hotmail.com

3Maruyama Industry Co., Ltd., 58/1 Wangtonglang, Bangkok 10310, Thailand.

nilma2@hotmail.com

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the performance of Prefabricated Vertical Drain (PVD)
combined with vacuum pressure in accelerating the consolidation for soft Bangkok clay improvement. Laboratory model tests were conducted in large scale consolidometers with reconstituted specimens using PVD with surcharge (PVD) and surcharge and vacuum pressure combined with PVD (Vacuum-PVD). The horizontal coefficient of consolidation (Ch) and the ratio between the horizontal hydraulic conductivity in undisturbed zone (kh) to the horizontal hydraulic conductivity in smear zone (ks) or (kh/ks) were back-calculated by Hansbo (1979) method. From the laboratory tests in large scale consolidometers, the increased hydraulic conductivity of the smear zone of reconstituted specimens using Vacuum-PVD resulted in the increase in Ch by 7% with the decrease in kh/ks of about 13%. The horizontal coefficient of consolidation of PVD combined with vacuum pressure and surcharge was higher than only PVD improvement due to the increased horizontal hydraulic conductivity in the smear zone.

Keywords: Prefabricated Vertical Drain (PVD); vacuum pressure; consolidometer.

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