Modeling of settlement of embankment on soft marine clay with vertical drains

Landfills of sand over marine deposits are widely used in Macau. Hence, prediction of settlement of soft marine clay due to the construction of landfill becomes valuable. In this study, observed settlements were compared with calculated settlements for a newly constructed embankment on soft marine clay. Finite difference computer software, FLAC, was adopted for numerical simulation. Modified Cam-clay model was chosen as the constitutive model for the marine clay. To facilitate the numerical simulation of soft marine clay with installation of vertical drains to promote rapid consolidation, effects of vertical drains were simulated using equivalent permeability for the soft marine clay. Using the,equivalent permeability, the soft marine clay without drains achieved similar average degree of consolidation as those predicted with drains.