New Finite Element Approach for Determination of PVDs configuration in Weak Marine Clay Treatment Projects

Pardsouie, Mohammad Mehdi; Mokhberi, Mehdi; Pardsouie, Mohammad Hadi; Zomorodian, Seyed Mohammad Ali

doi:10.22034/ijcoe.2024.396662.1032

New Finite Element Approach for Determination of PVDs configuration in Weak Marine Clay Treatment Projects

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Research Article

Authors

Mohammad Mehdi Pardsouie ¹

Mehdi Mokhberi ²

Mohammad Hadi Pardsouie ³

Seyed Mohammad Ali Zomorodian ⁴

¹ Estahban azad university,Estahban , Iran

² Associate professor, Department of geotechnical engineering, Estahban Branch, Islamic Azad University, Estahban, Iran

³ M.Sc. student, Department of civil engineering, Estahban Branch, Islamic Azad University, Estahban, Iran

⁴ Associate professor, Department of Water Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

10.22034/ijcoe.2024.396662.1032

Abstract

A novel numerical procedure for optimization of prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs) depth and spacing under surcharge preloading is proposed. A case history is presented and verified and then the settlement, lateral displacement curves for different depth of installations that had lengths greater and smaller than the installation length in verified case, was modeled using finite element method (FEM). Based on the resultant settlement curves, two lengths were chosen that were used for a new model with “one and between” configuration. Despite a 17 percent reduction in PVDs installation, the overall system efficiency has been raised by 12 to 15 percent based on time. By applying this new method, the time needed for target settlement has decreased considerably, which in this case study was 115 days. As a result of greater depth of installation in comparison to common methods, the uneven settlement potential would decrease. The new proposed method has the potential to be substituted for the common method especially for situations where soil layers with high compressibility index exist underneath. The proposed FEM approach can be used for determination of optimum PVDs depth and spacing along with existing analytical and empirical solutions to attain economical and more efficient designs.

Keywords

PVD

optimization

finite element method

embankment

marine clay

Subjects