Assessment of Consolidation Behavior of Golden Horn Marine Dredged Material

Polluted sea bottom sediments from Golden Horn in Istanbul have been dredged and stored on land at a disposal site. Reclamation of the disposal site was highly dependent on prediction of self-weight consolidation behavior of the dredged material, which is analyzed numerically using software which employs a nonlinear finite strain solution algorithm (Fox and Berles 1997). The material parameters needed for the numerical model are determined using a seepage-induced consolidation testing system and prediction of the numerical model is tested against experimental observations in a slurry consolidation model tank. The numerical modeling of the field behavior at the disposal site could be successfully accomplished using sediment property data from the seepage-induced consolidation test.     

A Non-Linear Rheological Model of Soft Clay and Its Application in Settlement of Sunk Ship

A one-dimensional consolidation-creep model test on the creep deformation of soft muddy clay in the littoral area of Tianjin is performed. A nonlinear rheologic model is established and the model coefficients are determined, in consideration of the characteristics of soft muddy clay. Furthermore, a settlement equation is deduced from the theologic model and verified by the field settlement measurements of Beitang Reservoir dam in Tianjin littoral area. Finally, the settlement e- quation is applied in calculating the settlement of ＂FAIRWAY-＂ suction dredger, which sunk in the external channel of Tianjin Port, induced by the soft clay consolidation of seabed. These results provide useful information for the decision of salvage plan.     

One-dimensional electrokinetic stabilization of dredged mud

Reuse of dredged marine sediments for land reclamation is a sustainable method for disposing the large quantities of dredged spoil, accumulating every year worldwide. However, due to their high water content and low permeability, dewatering and self-sedimentation of the material takes a long time to be completed. Therefore, different methods, such as prefabricated vertical drains and vacuum preloading, are used to improve the consolidation properties of the dredged mud at the port of Brisbane. Among these stabilization methods, vacuum preloading is determined as the most effective method to increase the consolidation of the dredged mud. However, clogging during vacuum consolidation is undesirable. Therefore, electrokinetic stabilization draws attention since it is an environmentally friendly and time efficient method to dewater and consolidate dredged mud significantly. The effectiveness of the electrokinetic stabilization depends on the properties of the soil and the electrode configurations. One-dimensional and two-dimensional electrode configurations are the most popular configurations. In this study, the effect of one-dimensional electrode configuration, which is installation of electrodes in arrays of anodes and cathodes on consolidation parameters of dredged mud, is investigated. Based on this study, the dredged mud sediments can be stabilized using one-dimensional electrokinetic stabilization which resulted in improving compression index and coefficient of volume compressibility and reduction of soil plasticity index.     

Evaluation of Excess Pore Water Pressure Characteristics in Sand Mat Used for Recycling Dredged Soil

The design of sand mats should be reviewed on the basis of excess pore pressure behavior, which can be obtained by combining the characteristics of soft ground with the permeability of the mats. In this study, a banking model test was performed using dredged sand as the mat material to investigate the hydraulic gradient distribution of sand mats. The results were compared with numerical analysis results utilizing Terzaghi's one-dimensional consolidation equation. The results showed that the pore pressure was influenced by an increase in the amount of settlement at the central part of the sand mat as the height of the embankment increased. The measured decrease of the pressure head due to the residing water pressure in the sand mat was delayed compared to the numerical analysis results. Accordingly, sand mats should be laid to reduce the increased hydraulic gradient at the central part of the embankment.     

现代黄河水下三角洲北部土体固结沉降特征及其对地形变化的贡献研究

The sediments of the modern Huanghe River subaqueous delta are easily to generate settlement and lead to topography change which is due to fast deposition rate, high void ratio, moisture content and compressibility. The sediment consolidation settlements and its contribution to the topography change in the northern modern Huanghe River subaqueous delta are studied based on drilling data, laboratory experiment results, and water depth measurements of different time. The results show that the final consolidation settlement of drill holes in the study area is between 1.17 and 3.21 m, and mean settlement of unit depth is between 2.30 and 5.30 cm/m based on the one-dimensional consolidation theory and Plaxis numerical model. The final consolidation settlement obtained by Plaxis numerical model is smaller than that obtained by the one-dimensional consolidation theory,and the difference is 3.4%–39.9% between the methods. The contribution of the consolidation settlement to the topographical change is at 20.2%–86.6%, and the study area can be divided into five different regions based on different contribution rates. In the erosion area, the actual erosion depth caused by hydrodynamics is lower than the changes of measured water depth, however, the actual deposition amount caused by hydrodynamics is much larger than the changes of water depth obtained by measured data in the equilibrium and deposition areas.     

Prediction of one-dimensional compression behavior of Nansha clay using fractional derivatives

Nansha clay is an interactive marine and terrestrial deposited soft clay that is widely spread in Guangzhou, Pearl River Delta, China. To avoid excessive settlement after construction, there is a need for better quantifying the time-dependent deformation of the soft clay. This paper presents a preliminary study to predict the one-dimensional compression of Nansha clay using fractional derivatives. A fractional Merchant model was introduced to describe the time-dependent settlement, and analytical solutions were obtained in terms of the Mittag-Leffler function. The oedometer test results were presented to validate this model. Compared with classical rheological models, the fractional derivative-based model enabled close estimation of the one-dimensional compression with fewer parameters. The meaning of the order of fractional derivative and its relationship with the clay physical properties were explored. It shows that a smaller value of this order corresponded to a higher coefficient of consolidation and a lower coefficient of secondary consolidation. The amplitude of both the primary and secondary consolidation of clay may be estimated quantitatively by the order of fractional derivative. Taken together, these results may open up new avenues for theoretical and empirical modeling of rheological phenomena in clay using fractional derivatives.     

Time-Dependent Deformation Behavior of Jiangsu Marine Clay

In this article, the mechanical behavior of a Jiangsu marine clay was investigated by drained triaxial tests, traixial rheological tests, and one-dimensional compression and swelling tests. A visco-plastic model, the Bingham model combining two yield surfaces model, was proposed to describe the time-dependent deformation behaviors of the marine clay. The governing equation of Biot's consolidation theory for the visco-plastic soil is solved using a finite element code which incorporates the visco-plastic model. Using the finite element method, settlements of a typical embankment on the Lianxu expressway in China are calculated. Settlement calculations using the visco-plastic model are in agreement with the measured settlements in the field. The results demonstrate that the visco-plastic model is appropriate for calculating the visco-plastic deformations of Jiangsu marine clay. Theoretical and experimental studies show that the visco-plastic deformation of Jiangsu marine clay is substantial.     

Critical State Parameters of Dredged Chennai Marine Clay Treated with Low Cement Content

The present article discusses the stress–strain behavior and critical state parameters of the dredged Chennai marine clay stabilized with low cement content (2.5–10%). A series of one-dimensional consolidation tests and consolidated undrained tri-axial tests are performed on the cement stabilized dredged Chennai marine clay to evaluate the critical state parameters (λ, κ, M, Г, N) for varying cement contents and curing days. The results show that the slope of the critical state line M increases with an increase in the cement content. The parameter λ for the treated marine clay increases up to a cement content of 7.5% followed by a reduction. The parameter κ decreases with the addition of cement content. Finally, empirical formulations are proposed to predict the critical state parameters as the functions of the cement's contents and curing days.     

Lateral and consolidation behaviors of seabed-type breakwater for very soft ground

A seabed-type of breakwater applicable to very soft ground without the need for soil improvement is newly developed. This type of soft-ground breakwater is expected to ensure sufficient lateral resistance and prevent excessive consolidation settlement due to self-weight of the breakwater. In this paper, lateral and consolidation behaviors of soft-ground breakwater were investigated by performing model tests and finite element simulations. The results revealed that the bottom wall and buoyant box, which are the main features of soft-ground breakwater, contribute to the increase in lateral resistance and to the control of the consolidation settlements, respectively, and that Terzaghi's consolidation theory could be conservatively adopted in deriving the consolidation settlements of soft-ground breakwater proposed herein.     

Estimation of Land Subsidence Based on Groundwater Flow Model

This article presents an approach for estimating land subsidence due to withdrawal of groundwater. The proposed method calculates the groundwater seepage in 3-D-condition and calculates the land subsidence one-dimensionally. The governing equation on groundwater seepage is based on the three-dimensional mass conservation law and the principle of effective stress. The land subsidence calculation method is derived based on the following assumptions: (1) displacements occur only in the vertical direction, and (2) in vertical direction the total stresses do not change. The governing equation is solved by numerical method, i.e., finite element method (FEM) in spatial discretization and finite difference method (FDM) in time series discretization. In FEM Galerkin method is adopted and in FDM, lumped matrix method is employed. The proposed method is calibrated via analyzing 1-D consolidation problem and the results are compared with those from Terzaghi's one-dimensional consolidation theory and oedometer test. The proposed method is employed to analyze the consolidation of a soft layer due to withdrawal of groundwater from an aquifer under it. Moreover, this method is also applied to a field case of land subsidence due to groundwater pumping in a gas production field in Japan. The analytical results are compared with the field observed data. The results show that this approach simulates the field case well.     

Estimation of Land Subsidence Based on Groundwater Flow Model

This article presents an approach for estimating land subsidence due to withdrawal of groundwater. The proposed method calculates the groundwater seepage in 3-D-condition and calculates the land subsidence one-dimensionally. The governing equation on groundwater seepage is based on the three-dimensional mass conservation law and the principle of effective stress. The land subsidence calculation method is derived based on the following assumptions: (1) displacements occur only in the vertical direction, and (2) in vertical direction the total stresses do not change. The governing equation is solved by numerical method, i.e., finite element method (FEM) in spatial discretization and finite difference method (FDM) in time series discretization. In FEM Galerkin method is adopted and in FDM, lumped matrix method is employed. The proposed method is calibrated via analyzing 1-D consolidation problem and the results are compared with those from Terzaghi's one-dimensional consolidation theory and oedometer test. The proposed method is employed to analyze the consolidation of a soft layer due to withdrawal of groundwater from an aquifer under it. Moreover, this method is also applied to a field case of land subsidence due to groundwater pumping in a gas production field in Japan. The analytical results are compared with the field observed data. The results show that this approach simulates the field case well.     

Effect of the pressurized duration on improving dredged slurry with air booster vacuum preloading

Abstract

Compared with traditional vacuum preloading, air booster vacuum preloading is more effective at strengthening dredged slurry and improving the consolidation process. Although many engineering practices have shown that the pressurized duration has a significant effect on the reinforcement effect, there is no standard available for determining the pressurized duration. In this study, five dredged slurry samples were tested to examine the effect of different pressurized durations on the consolidation. An extensive monitoring system was used to measure the vacuum pressure, pore water pressure, settlement, and water discharge during the test, while the water content and shear strength were measured after the test. The collected monitoring data were comprehensively analyzed to evaluate the reinforcement effect. The results revealed that the pressurization system can be used to reinforce deep dredged slurry and make the whole soil layer more homogeneous. If the pressurized duration is too short, the dissipation of pore water pressure is too little to achieve the pressurization effect. If the pressurized duration is too long, too much gas will be in the soil and enter the vacuum system, which will significantly reduce the vacuum pressure and thus the reinforcement effect. Based on these findings, the optimal pressurized duration was obtained.     

海洋倾倒前疏浚底泥的去污染技术

疏浚底泥是陆源性入海污染物的主要蓄积场所, 也是海洋污染的潜在污染源。在疏浚和海洋倾倒过程中, 这些疏浚底泥中的污染物会重新释放出来进入水体, 危害海洋环境, 因此对疏浚底泥进行无害或者减害化处理, 对于实施疏浚底泥海洋倾倒的科学管理、有效保护海洋环境具有重要意义。本文综述了6种主要的疏浚底泥处理方法, 介绍和评述了各方法的原理、影响因素以及优缺点, 并展望了物化和生物等方法联合在去除疏浚底泥污染应用中的前景。     

Two-Dimensional Numerical Analysis of the Subgrade Improved By Stone Columns in the Soft Soil Area

Based on the vertical equal strain assumption, there are many consolidation theories of soft soil incorporating vertical drains. Because the influence of many factors is often ignored and the flow of the pore water usually happens in three-dimensional directions, analytical solutions could not be accurate enough. Because of the amount of computer storage and the computing time needed, two-dimensional finite element analysis is used to model the stone column improving the soft foundation. The embankment load is transferred to a column because of the soil arching effect. When the embankment is constructed, the settlement accounts for 64% of the total settlement, which shows that the column can reduce the post-construction settlement. The stone column's bulge is confined to a length about one to two times the diameter of the stone column away from its top, and the column at the toe would bears the shear stress to some extent.     

Geotechnical Hybrid Simulation to Investigate the Effects of the Hydraulic Conductivity on One-Dimensional Consolidation Settlement

Difficulties in the prediction of time-distribution of consolidation settlement will be introduced by using the Murayama test embankment case of Japan. In particular, it will be discussed why the prediction of consolidation rate is difficult in multi-layered soil with complex and variable mechanical properties like organic soil or peat. It can be inferred that uncertainties, which are embedded intricately in the consolidation problem as well as given ground condition, would be major causes for consolidation settlement. After that, the author focused on the movement of pore water under the various conditions of hydraulic conductivity in the soils, and how it can affect the time-distribution of the consolidation settlement. For the applied key methodology on the consolidation settlement problem, we propose the hybrid consolidation simulation controlling the movement of pore water with high accuracy and, finally, the aim of this article is to discuss the methodological approaches obtained by the study, including the basic concept and accurate movement of pore water under various conditions of soil layers and hydraulic conductivity.     

Laboratory and Field Observations for Golden Horn Marine Clay

Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey and one of the major metropolitan areas in the world, cleaned one of its environmentally polluted areas—Golden Horn—by dredging 5 million m³ of the bottom sediments and pumping the resulting sludge to a storage area behind a dam built at an abandoned rock quarry site in Alibey district. The reclamation of the land that formed over the storage area of Golden Horn dredged material is socially and economically very desirable. In this paper, results from experimental studies that are focused on determining the shear strength behavior of the dredge material and undisturbed soil are presented. Slurry consolidometer test, large model tests and small model tests are used to consolidate the dredged soil samples from Halic to simulate the natural consolidation behavior of these soils. Shear strength parameters are determined by laboratory vane tests; unconfined compression tests; undrained-unconsolidated (UU) and consolidated-undrained (CU) triaxial tests on samples that are obtained through in situ undisturbed samples and laboratory model tank and slurry consolidation. Moreover, the effects of fly ash and lime additives on the undrained shear strength were determined by mixing the materials with the dredged clay from Golden Horn during the model experiments conducted in the laboratory. Based on these findings, equations are proposed that govern the relationships between undrained shear strength and water content value.     

浅水区波浪非线性效应对砂质海床动力响应的影响

以广义Biot动力固结理论为基础,运用一阶椭圆余弦波和二阶Stokes波等非线性波浪理论考虑浅水区波浪荷载的非线性效应,在时域上采用有限元方法对非线性波浪力作用下饱和砂质海床的动力响应进行了数值求解,并与线性波浪作用下海床动力响应特性进行了对比分析。结果表明,随着波长与水深之比L／d及无量纲参数T(g/d)^1/2的增大,非线性波浪对海床动力响应的影响增大。与线性波浪理论相比,孔隙水压力与有效应力幅值的增大效应非常显著。因此在近海海洋建筑物设计与工程场地评价中,波浪力的非线性特性必须引起注意。     

Experimental study on settling velocity of soil particles in dredged slurry

Studying sedimentation and consolidation of dredged slurry has significant implications to the design of storage yard and subsequent ground improvement. In this study, settling velocity of soil particles in dredged slurry during sedimentation and consolidation processes was investigated using an improved multilayer extraction sampling (MES) method. A series of sedimentation column tests were performed on dredged slurry with three different initial water contents. Distributions of volume of soil particles and density of dredged slurry were first obtained by the MES method, settling velocity of soil particles was then calculated by volume flux function approach. It was found that the density and velocity inflection points can be used to distinguish the settling zone and the consolidation zone. The experimental results reveal that the velocity of soil particles was quite low and monotonically decreased with sedimentation height at low initial water content throughout the whole test period, whereas it was increased at 0–1 hours and almost remained constant at 1–7 hours in the settling zone at high initial water content. The effects of initial water content on sedimentation and consolidation mode of dredged slurry and the settling velocity of soil particles were discussed. The relationship between settling velocity of soil particles and particle diameter was also studied. It is indicated that the measured velocity of soil particles was much lower than that calculated by the Stokes equation, and it was related to 0.4881–0.5906 order of particle diameter at 0–1 hours and 0.1117–0.1825 order of particle diameter at 1–7 hours for the test slurries.     

Numerical simulation of wave overtopping of coastal structures using the non-linear shallow water equations

A one-dimensional high-resolution finite volume model capable of simulating storm waves propagating in the coastal surf zone and overtopping a sea wall is presented. The model (AMAZON) is based on solving the non-linear shallow water (NLSW) equations. A modern upwind scheme of the Godunov-type using an HLL approximate Riemann solver is described which captures bore waves in both transcritical and supercritical flows. By employing a finite volume formulation, the method can be implemented on an irregular, structured, boundary-fitted computational mesh. The use of the NLSW equations to model wave overtopping is computationally efficient and practically flexible, though the detailed structure of wave breaking is of course ignored. It is shown that wave overtopping at a vertical wall may also be approximately modelled by representing the wall as a steep bed slope. The AMAZON model solutions have been compared with analytical solutions and laboratory data for wave overtopping at sloping and vertical seawalls and good agreement has been found. The model requires more verification tests for irregular waves before its application as a generic design tool.     

Improvement of very soft ground by a high-efficiency vacuum preloading method: A case study

This paper describes a full-scale test on a very soft clay ground around 70,000?m², which is conducted in Huizhou of Guangdong Province, China, to present a new method of vacuum preloading method. A novel moisture separator was developed, which can automatically regulate the vacuum pressure variation by changing the volume of the gas inside it. A large quantity of water drained by the proposed moisture separators can be directly used as a surcharge loading, which would shorten the ground improvement time and save costs as well. Three levels of silt-prevention prefabricated vertical drains were used in the treating process to accelerate the consolidation. In addition, the vacuum preloading method also included an effective radial drainage device which would strengthen the dredged soft clay fill in a deep layer. In the in situ test, tens of piezometers and settlement plates were installed to measure the variations of excess pore water pressures and settlement of two stages of observation points at different positions in the ground. The results show that the largest average consolidation settlement was 314.1?cm and made a saving of more than 66% in power consumption compared with traditional method. It demonstrates that this adopted method is an efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly method for improving sites with low bearing capacity and high compressibility soils.