ABSTRACT
Two electrokinetic methods for improvement of soil mechanical properties have been investigated: low voltage (Ly 55–80 V/m) based on Electroosmosis, and high-voltage (Hy 150–300 kV/m) based on Dielectrophoresis. Soil samples for the experiments were recovered from a construction site at Raymond Terrace near Newcastle (NSW, Australia). The LV treatment was performed on reconstituted samples in a modified triaxial apparatus. It proved to be an effective method with an average 200% increase in the effective stress. It was found that the effective stress continued to increase even after a sharp current decrease across the sample. The HV method was applied in large custom-designed experimental cells treating disturbed samples. Test results show minor relative differences in the mechanical properties between the treated and untreated (control) samples, suggesting that the method is not as effective as previously reported.
