ABSTRACT
Vacuum consolidation is a ground improvement method for soft clays which decreases pore water pressure by applying vacuum pressure through installed drains to promote consolidation. Simultaneous application of static embankment loading during vacuum consolidation is a desirable and promising ground improvement method, and has seen increased application in recent years. However, there are some unclear aspects of the behavior of pore water pressure during vacuum consolidation. It is important to predict the distribution of water pressure during combined vacuum consolidation and loading for evaluating embankment stability. In this study, a centrifugal test was conducted at centrifugal acceleration 50 g and the combined ground improvement was reproduced using an air cylinder and a loading plate for loading and a drain material for vacuuming. The tests revealed that the negative pressure was greater in areas closer to the drain, and that the increase in water pressure during embankment loading was suppressed in regions.
