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Estimating hydraulic conductivity of naturally sedimented clays using compression curves

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Abstract

This study aims at establishing the hydraulic conductivity–effective vertical stress–void ratio interrelations for naturally sedimented clays under one-dimensional condition. The roles of soil structure developed during the depositional and the post-depositional processes in both the relationships of hydraulic conductivity versus effective vertical stress and void ratio versus effective vertical stress are investigated. It is found that the soil structure effect on the hydraulic conductivity–effective vertical stress curves can be attributed to that on the compression curves. The effect of initially deposited state on the hydraulic conductivity is also linked with that on the void ratio for naturally sedimented clays under the same values of effective vertical stress. The investigations indicate that the interrelation between hydraulic conductivity and compressibility is independent of initial state. That is, the hydraulic conductivity–void ratio relationship of naturally sedimented clays is independent of soil structure and initial state. Such a relationship is found to be a function of void ratio at liquid limit. Consequently, the hydraulic conductivity can be estimated based on the hydraulic conductivity–void ratio database established for naturally sedimented clays with a wide spectrum of void ratio at liquid limit. An empirical way of determining hydraulic conductivity is also proposed for naturally sedimented clays. A series of one-dimensional incremental load consolidation and hydraulic conductivity tests were performed. These data together with those compiled from the literature are used for investigating the accuracy of the suggested methods of determining hydraulic conductivity.

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Abbreviations

c v :

Coefficient of consolidation

e :

Void ratio

e L :

Void ratio at liquid limit

e n :

In situ void ratio

e vn :

Void ratio of natural clays

e vr :

Void ratio of reconstituted clays

e 0 :

Initial void ratio of reconstituted clays

k v :

Hydraulic conductivity in vertical direction

k vn :

Hydraulic conductivity of natural clays

k vn-ca l culated :

Hydraulic conductivity of natural clays determined by empirical evn–kvn equation

k vn-estimated :

Hydraulic conductivity of natural clays determined using evn–kvn database

k vn-measured :

Measured hydraulic conductivity of natural clays

k vr :

Hydraulic conductivity of reconstituted clays

k vr-ca l culated :

Hydraulic conductivity of reconstituted clays determined by empirical evn–kvn equation

k vr-measured :

Measured hydraulic conductivity of reconstituted clays

PI :

Plasticity index

w L :

Liquid limit

w n :

In situ content

w P :

Plastic limit

w 0 :

Initial water content of reconstituted clays

σ v :

Vertical stress

σ' v :

Effective vertical stress

1DIL:

One-dimensional incremental load

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Acknowledgements

This study is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41977243) and FOK YING TUNG Education Foundation (Grant No. 161070).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Civil Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hanzhou, 310014, People’s Republic of China

    Ling-Ling Zeng & Yuan-Qiang Cai

  2. The Eastern Route of South-To-North Water Diversion Project Jiangsu Water, Source Co., Ltd, Nanjing, 210019, People’s Republic of China

    Feng Ji

  3. School of Civil Engineering, Fujian University of Technology, Fuzhou, 350108, People’s Republic of China

    Heng Wang

  4. Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, School of Transportation, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, People’s Republic of China

    Zhen-Shun Hong

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  1. Ling-Ling Zeng
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  2. Feng Ji
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  5. Zhen-Shun Hong
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Correspondence to Zhen-Shun Hong.

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Zeng, LL., Ji, F., Wang, H. et al. Estimating hydraulic conductivity of naturally sedimented clays using compression curves. Acta Geotech. 17, 1815–1827 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-021-01306-6

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