Abstract
Intermediate sand layers with high permeability often exist in the ground which has formed by disposing dredged soil. In the case of improving such a ground using the vacuum consolidation method, it is concerned that the consolidation effects would be decreased by sucking considerable seawater through intermediate sand layers. For a purpose to clarify an influence of such intermediate sand layer, two laboratory model tests were carried out. One was a vacuum consolidation test with water suction rate of 2ℓ/min per prefablicated drain and the other was a normal vacuum consolidation test without water supply from the intermediate sand layer. It was observed that the settlement curves of these two cases well agreed. Therefore, it was clarified that the water suction from the intermediate sand layer with its rate of 2ℓ/min does not significantly influence on the performance of vacuum consolidation system.
