Two-Dimensional Free-Strain Axisymmetric Electroosmotic Consolidation Analysis Considering Smear Effects

Electroosmotic consolidation (EOC) presents a promising soil improvement method in transportation geotechnics. This work develops a semianalytical solution to analyze two-dimensional axisymmetric EOC, incorporating smear effects and vertical water flow. General solutions comprising eigenfunctions and eigenvalues for the vertical direction are initially proposed. The Laplace transform technique is adopted to develop the solution for the excess pore-water pressure (EPWP) in the frequency domain. Subsequently, numerical Laplace inversion is utilized to derive the solution in the time domain. The developed solution is verified against finite-element analysis and field tests. It is found that both the electroosmotic conductivity and radial hydraulic conductivity influence the gradient of EPWP along the radial direction. This phenomenon becomes more pronounced at shallower depths. Conversely, the vertical hydraulic conductivity in the smear zone exerts a negligible influence on two-dimensional axisymmetric EOC. Furthermore, a comparison with the existing solution suggests that there is a potential for underestimation of the consolidation rate and steady-state EPWP if the axisymmetric EOC is treated as a one-dimensional scenario.