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ASTM Selected Technical Papers
Consolidation of Soils: Testing and Evaluation
By
RN Yong
RN Yong
1
Geotechnical Research Centre, McGill University
,
Montreal,
Canada
, H3A 2K6
;
symposium co-chairman and co-editor
Search for other works by this author on:
FC Townsend
FC Townsend
2Department of Civil Engineering,
University of Florida
,
Gainesville, Fla. 32611
;
symposium co-chairman and co-editor
Search for other works by this author on:
ISBN-10:
0-8031-0446-4
ISBN:
978-0-8031-0446-4
No. of Pages:
760
Publisher:
ASTM International
Publication date:
1986

Syncrude Canada Ltd. has developed self-weight consolidation tests with specimens 10 m high and 1 m in diameter. Used in a research and development program on oil sand waste slurry disposal, these large-scale tests determine whether or not the slurry material properties measured in large-strain slurry consolidation cells and in 2-m-high consolidation tests (when used in the finite-strain consolidation mathematical model) can predict the consolidation behavior of deep deposits of waste slurry such as those deposited in the field. The consolidation equipment and testing methods used in this research program are described, and typical test results are shown. Among the phenomena observed are the effective stress wave which travels up the cylinder during sedimentation, the development of thixotropic strength during the initial period of consolidation, the full pore pressure and total stress profile for the height of the cylinders at any time, and the consolidation with time and depth as shown by pore pressure dissipation and by the increase in solids content.

The rate of consolidation in the 10-m cylinders as shown by the settlement of the water-sludge interface is in good agreement with theory and indicates the validity of the test methods.

1.
Scott
,
J. D.
and
Cymerman
,
G. J.
, “
Prediction of Viable Tailings Disposal Methods
” in
Proceedings
,
Sedimentation Consolidation Models Symposium, American Society of Civil Engineers
,
San Francisco
,
01
10
1984
, pp. 522-544.
2.
Scott
,
J. D.
and
Dusseault
,
M. B.
, “
Behaviour of Oil Sands Tailings
,” in
Proceedings
,
33rd Canadian Geotechnical Conference
,
Calgary, Alberta
, 24–26 Sept. 1980.
3.
Imai
,
G.
, “
Experimental Studies on Sedimentation Mechanism and Sediment Formation of Clay Materials
,”
Soils and Foundations
, Japanese Society of Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Vol.
21
, No.
1
,
03
1981
, pp. 7-20.
4.
Carrier
,
W. D.
, III
, and
Keshian
,
B.
 Jr.
, “
Measurement and Prediction of Consolidation of Dredged Materials
,” presented at
12th Annual Dredging Seminar, Center for Dredging Studies
,
Department of Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University
,
College Station, TX
, 1–2 Nov. 1979.
5.
Pane
,
V.
,
Croce
,
P.
,
Znidarcic
,
D.
,
Ko
,
H-Y.
,
Olsen
,
H. W.
, and
Schiffman
,
R. L.
, “
Effects of Consolidation on Permeability Measurments for Soft Clay
,”
Geotechnique
 0016-8505, Vol.
33
, No.
1
,
03
1983
, pp. 67-72.
6.
Kolaian
,
J. H.
and
Low
,
P. F.
, “
Thermodynamic Properties of Water in Suspensions of Montmorillonite
” in
Proceedings
,
9th National Conference on Clays and Clay Minerals
,
Pergamon Press
, Monograph 11, Earth Science Series,
Elmsford, NY
,
1962
, pp. 71-84.
7.
Umehara
,
Y.
and
Zen
,
K.
, “
Consolidation Characteristics of Dredged Marine Bottom Sediments with High Water Content
,”
Soils and Foundations
, Japanese Society of Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Vol.
22
, No.
2
,
06
1982
, pp. 40-54.
8.
Been
,
K.
and
Sills
,
G. C.
, “
Self-Weight Consolidation of Soft Soils: An Experimental and Theoretical Study
,”
Geotechnique
 0016-8505, Vol.
31
, No.
4
,
12
1981
, pp. 519-535.
9.
Carrier
,
W. D.
 III
, “
Analysis of Ten Metre Cylinder Tests
,”
Letter Report to Syncrude Canada Ltd.
,
Bromwell and Carrier Inc.
, Lakeland, FL,
01
1984
.
10.
Somogyi
,
F.
, “
Analysis and Prediction of Phosphatic Clay Consolidation: Implementation Package
,”
Bromwell Engineering, Inc.
,
Final Report to Florida Phosphate Council
, Lakeland, FL,
1979
.
11.
Somogyi
,
F.
, “
Large Strain Consolidation of Fine-Grained Slurries
,” presented at
Canadian Society for Civil Engineering Annual Conference
,
Winnipeg
,
1980
.
12.
McNabb
,
A.
, “
A Mathematical Treatment of One-Dimensional Soil Consolidation
,”
Quarterly of Applied Mathematics
 0033-569X, Vol.
17
,
1960
, pp. 337-347.
13.
Gibson
,
R. E.
,
England
,
G. L.
, and
Hussey
,
M. J. L.
, “
The Theory of One-Dimensional Consolidation of Saturated Clays, I. Finite Non-Linear Consolidation of Thin Homogeneous Layers
,”
Geotechnique
 0016-8505, Vol.
17
,
1967
, pp. 261-273.
14.
Carrier
,
W. D.
, III
,
Bromwell
,
L. G.
, and
Somogyi
,
F.
, “
Design Capacity of Slurried Mineral Waste Ponds
,”
Journal of Geotechnical Engineering
 0733-9410, Vol.
109
,
05
1983
, pp. 699-716.
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