Consolidation analysis of saturated multi-layered soils with anisotropic permeability caused by a point sink

• Published in: International journal for numerical and analytical methods in geomechanics Vol. 37; no. 7; pp. 758 - 770
• Main Authors: Ai, Zhi Yong, Zeng, Wen Ze
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.05.2013; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: analytical layer-element method; anisotropic permeability; Anisotropy; Applied sciences; Buildings. Public works; Computation methods. Tables. Charts; Consolidation; Exact sciences and technology; Geotechnics; Inversions; Laplace-Hankel transform; Layered soils; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Permeability; point sink; saturated multi-layered soils; Saturated soils; Stabilization. Consolidation; Structural analysis. Stresses; Water effect, drainage, ground water lowering, filtration; point sink; analytical layer-element method; Laplace-Hankel transform; Permeability; Modeling; Stratified medium; Settlement; Soil water properties; saturated multi-layered soils; Anisotropy; Pore pressure; Analytical method; Numerical simulation; anisotropic permeability; Soil consolidation; Saturated soil
• ISSN: 0363-9061; 1096-9853
• DOI: 10.1002/nag.1126

SUMMARY This paper presents the analytical layer‐element method to analyze the consolidation of saturated multi‐layered soils caused by a point sink by considering the anisotropy of permeability. Starting from the governing equations of the problem, the solutions of displacements and stresses for a single soil layer are obtained in the Laplace–Hankel transformed domain. Then, the analytical layer‐element method is utilized to further derive the solutions for the saturated multi‐layered soils in the transformed domain by combining with the boundary conditions of the soil system and continuity conditions between adjacent layers. The actual solutions in the physical domain can be acquired by the inversion of Laplace–Hankel transform. Numerical results are carried out to show the accuracy and stability of the proposed method and evaluate the influence of sink depth and anisotropic permeability on excess pore pressure and surface settlement. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.