LARGE-STRAIN ELECTROKINETIC CONSOLIDATION - THEORY AND EXPERIMENT IN ONE DIMENSION

A one-dimensional large-strain electrokinetic consolidation model is formulated for which properties may be chosen arbitrarily. Important void ratio dependent soil properties include permeabilty, compressibility, specific conductance and electrokinetic mobility. These properties are specialized to certain mathematical forms, the associated parameters of which are measured where possible. The resulting non-linear partial differential equation is solved numerically using a finite element approach and the results are compared to experimental measurements obtained from a novel electrokinetic consolidation cell. This cell is used to consolidate a dispersion of colloidal silica. One of the cell's unique features involves a liquid anode which does not give off oxygen and which permits virtually complete control over those ions which serve as current carriers. This provision is used to examine the effect of injecting multivalent cations into pre-consolidated, compacted silica. In addition to the new electrode design, the cell is pressurized to some desired level in order to permit a greater development of effective stresses in the densifying sample.