Software Development for Analysis of Primary Consolidation Problems and Assessment of One Dimensional Consolidation Theory
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Date
2020-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Terzaghi gave the theory for determination of the rate of consolidation of a saturated soil mass
subjected to a static, steady load with some assumptions and the theory gives an estimate of the
total time and the time rate of settlement of a structure with simple calculations. However, as
Terzaghi’s one-dimensional consolidation theory assumes the drainage of water occurs only in
the vertical direction, it leads to an overestimation of the decay times of the settlement process and
makes it questionable for two- and three-dimensional problems.
In this research, a Finite Difference Method solution is used to develop a computer program for
analysis of two-dimensional consolidation problems easily. The exact solution of a consolidation
problem is used to validate the developed computer program and found to be satisfactory and
reasonably in good agreement. Then, a comparison between results from one-dimensional
analysis and two-dimensional analysis is made using five different models.
From the comparison, it is shown that the errors from using Terzaghi’s one–dimensional
consolidation analysis for two-dimensional consolidation problems are significant, which gives
error up to 60.0 % and 52.6 % when calculating the 50 % and 90 % consolidation times
respectively for width to depth ratio of two.
Finally, this research thesis recommends conditions where a one-dimensional analysis could be
implemented without a significant error.
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Keywords
2D Consolidation, Terzaghi’s Theory, Finite Difference Method (FDM), Alternating Directional Implicit (ADI)