Prefabricated Vertical Drain Example: Table 1. Properties of Singapore Marine Clay

Prefabricated Vertical Drain Example
A reclamation project is carried out for the Changi Airport of Singapore. The soil profile
consists of the upper (UMC) and the lower (LMC) clay layers separated by immediate (IMC)
clay layer (Fig. 1). The upper clay layer containing very soft to soft layers extends from -
4.0m to -17.0 m elevation while the lower clay layer was encountered from -19.0m to -
28.0m elevation. The seabed elevation is at -3.0m and the sea level is at 0.0m. The
simplified soil profile and the corresponding soil properties are outlined in Figure 2.
The very wide sand fill was initially placed at +4.0m elevation and then the PVDs were
installed at 1.5m spacing in square pattern down to -30.0m elevation. After PVD
installation, the surcharge fill was raised to +10.0m elevation (assume instantaneous
loading). The sand fill has unit weight of 20 kN/m3. Assume mandrel size of 120mm by
60mm, PVD dimensions of 100mm by 3mm, ds = 2dm, Kh/Ks = 2.5 and qw = 500 m3/yr.
1. Calculate the total vertical settlement of the upper and lower clay layers.
2. For the upper clay layer only, calculate the time to 90% consolidation without and
with PVD assuming smear effects and well resistance.
Table 1. Properties of Singapore Marine Clay

Upper Intermediate Lower
Bulk Density (kN/m3) 14-16 18-21 16-18
Specific Gravity 2.58-2.65 2.60-2.75 2.55-2.70
Moisture Content (%) 50-85 20-40 40-65
Liquid Limit (%) 70-90 30-70 60-90
Plastic Limit (%) 26-28 20-28 26-28
Plastic Index (%) 44-64 10-42 34-64
Liquidity Index (%) 0.4-1 0.1-0.6 0.2-0.8
Natural Void Ratio 1.5-2.3 0.5-1.0 1.0-1.7
Compression Index 0.6-1.2 0.2-0.3 0.4-1
Re-compression Index 0.1-0.2 0.02-0.1 0.05-0.2
Coefficient of Permeability in
10-9-10-10 10-9-10-10
Vertical Direction (kv) (m/s)
Coefficient of Permeability in
10-8-10-9 10-8-10-9
Horizontal Direction (kh) (m/s)
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Coefficient of Consolidation due
0.5-1.2 1.2-6 0.6-2.2
to Vertical Flow (Cv) (m2/yr)
Coefficient of Consolidation due
1-4 - 4-6
to Horizontal Flow (Ch) (m2/yr)
Overconsolidation ratio 1.5-7 2-4 1.5-2
Figure 2. Simplified Profile of

Subsoil to be used in the analysis
Figure 1. Actual Profile of Subsoil
Notes:
o Given unit weight of sand fill is considered as its saturated unit weight.
o Soils below sea bedrock are saturated.
o Soils in the profile are overconsolidated fine-grained soils.
o Only primary consolidation settlement is considered.
o From Table 1., the following soil properties values are used:
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Table 1b. Properties of Singapore Marine Clay (using the average value)
Upper Intermediate Lower
Specific Gravity 2.62 2.68 2.63
Liquid Limit (%) 80 50 75
Plastic Index (%) 54 26 49
Illustration:
Elev., m
+10.0
Final Sand Fill
+4.0 Sand Fill 10 m

Elev., m
Initial Sand Fill

0.0
Sea Water Sand Fill 3m
-3.0
Sand Sand 1m
-4.0
Upper Marine Clay Upper Marine Clay

13 m
-17.0
Firm Intermediate Clay Layer Firm Intermediate Clay Layer 2m
-19.0
Lower Marine Clay Lower Marine Clay

9m
-28.0
Firm Silty Clay Firm Silty Clay 5m
-33.0
Clayey Sand Clayey Sand 1m
-34.0
Silty Sand Silty Sand 2m
-36.0
Dense Clayey Sand Dense Clayey Sand 4m
-40.0
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1. Calculate the total vertical settlement of the upper and lower clay layers.
▪ Primary Consolidation Settlement of Overconsolidated Fine-Grained Soil:
when
when
where:
Source: Das, B.M. (2010). Principles of Geotechnical Engineering, 7th Edition. pp 320-321
The swell index is appreciably smaller in magnitude than the compression index and
generally can be determined from laboratory tests. In most cases,
The swell index was expressed by Nagaraj and Murty (1985) as
Based on the modified Cam clay model, Kulhawy and Mayne (1990) have shown that
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▪ Total Vertical Settlement of the Upper Clay Layer. Considering instantaneous loading of
13m sand fill.
Initial Vertical Stress:
Change in Vertical Stress after fill is applied up to +4 m then up to+10 m to elevation:
Final Vertical Stress:
Preconsolidation Stress:
Hence, Total Vertical Settlement:
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▪ Total Vertical Settlement of the Lower Clay Layer. Considering instantaneous loading of
13m sand fill.
Initial Vertical Stress:
Change in Vertical Stress after fill is applied up to +4.0m elevation
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Final Vertical Stress:
Preconsolidation Stress:
Hence, Total Vertical Settlement:
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2. For the upper clay layer only, calculate the time to 90% consolidation without and
with PVD assuming smear effects and well resistance.
Time required to achieve 90% consolidation for the upper clay layer without PVD.
Source: Das, B.M. (2010). Principles of Geotechnical Engineering, 7th Edition. pp 334
The values of the time factor and their corresponding average degrees of consolidation may be
approximated by the following simple relationship:
Sivaram and Swamee (1977) gave the following equation for U varying from 0 to 100%:
where:
▪ Time required (90% Consolidation)

Since the bottom layer of the upper clay layer is a firm intermediate layer (impervious),
hence, one-way drainage is considered.
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Using the formula of Sivaram and Swamee (1977):
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Time required to achieve 90% consolidation for the upper clay layer with PVD
assuming smear effects and well resistance.
Considering Average Degree of Consolidation due to Radial Drainage only, (Uh),

by Hansbo (1979)
where:
▪ Diameter of Equivalent Soil (Square Pattern)
▪ Coefficient of Radial Consolidation
▪ Equivalent Diameter of Sand Drain, dw
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▪ Diameter of Disturbed Zone, ds
▪ Spacing Factor,
▪ Smear Factor,
▪ Well-Resistance,
Consider One-way drainage only since the soil in the -30.0 m Elev. is a firm silty clay.
Further, since the soil from -4.0 to 0.0 Elev. is sand, the length of PVD will start from -
4.0 Elev.
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Considering Average Degree of Consolidation due to Combined Radial and Vertical

Drainage , (U), by Carillo (1942)
▪ Solving for Uh in terms of time t
where:
thus,
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▪ Using Sivaram and Swamee (1977), solving for Uv in terms of time t
Solving for t,
Comparing the results of the two solutions, it is clear that the computed time required for 90%
consolidation in both solutions is approximately equal. Hence, the average degree of
consolidation due to vertical drainage (Uv) has a negligible effect when combined with the
average degree of consolidation due radial drainage (Uh) in determining the total degree of
consolidation. Radial drainage using PVD is the prevailing factor in the consolidation process.
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Prefabricated Vertical Drain Example

Table 1. Properties of Singapore Marine Clay

Figure 2. Simplified Profile of

Figure 1. Actual Profile of Subsoil

Final Sand Fill

+4.0 Sand Fill 10 m

Initial Sand Fill

Upper Marine Clay Upper Marine Clay

Lower Marine Clay Lower Marine Clay

▪ Primary Consolidation Settlement of Overconsolidated Fine-Grained Soil:

The swell index was expressed by Nagaraj and Murty (1985) as

Initial Vertical Stress:

Change in Vertical Stress after fill is applied up to +4 m then up to+10 m to elevation:

Final Vertical Stress:

Hence, Total Vertical Settlement:

Initial Vertical Stress:

Change in Vertical Stress after fill is applied up to +4.0m elevation

Hence, Total Vertical Settlement:

▪ Time required (90% Consolidation)

Considering Average Degree of Consolidation due to Radial Drainage only, (Uh),

▪ Diameter of Equivalent Soil (Square Pattern)

▪ Coefficient of Radial Consolidation

▪ Equivalent Diameter of Sand Drain, dw

Considering Average Degree of Consolidation due to Combined Radial and Vertical

▪ Solving for Uh in terms of time t

▪ Time required (90% Consolidation)

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