Performance of electrokinetic treatment of fine-grained problematic soils
Abstract
The demand for innovative and cost-effective in situ ground modification technologies stimulated the use of electrokinetic (EK) treatment where a low-voltage direct-current electric field is applied across a problematic soil to improve the ground conditions. This study aims to model the effect of changing electrode length, le on the performance of the electrokinetic, EK treatment on the engineering properties of fine-grained problematic soils. The consideration of the electrode length, le, soil depth, ds, and lengthwise anode to cathode distance, dA↔E in the soil samples are in the form of the laboratory model test tank. The performance of the tests was with changing electrode lengths of 0.25le, 0.5le, 0.75le, and 1.0le. The study analyzed the test data obtained from the Atterberg limit and one-dimensional swelling tests at different extraction points in the test tank and the effect of changing electrode length, le on the performance of the EK treatment. The results of the Design of Experiment (DOE) model analysis revealed that the effect of changing electrode length, le on the plasticity index, PI, and swelling potential, SP of the EK treated soils, was significant. For a specific soil depth, ds, the electrode lengths, le, of 0.5le, and 0.75le were significantly effective in reducing the PI, and the SP of the EK treated soils. Unlike other studies in the literature, the use of DOE analysis in the present study enabled the detection of the significant input factors in the EK treatment and their interactive effects on the PI and the SP, enabling the practicing engineers to navigate accurate design models for large in situ applications.
The demand for innovative and cost-effective in situ ground modification technologies stimulated the use of electrokinetic (EK) treatment where a low-voltage direct-current electric field is applied across a problematic soil to improve the ground conditions. This study aims to model the effect of changing electrode length, le on the performance of the electrokinetic, EK treatment on the engineering properties of fine-grained problematic soils. The consideration of the electrode length, le, soil depth, ds, and lengthwise anode to cathode distance, dA↔E in the soil samples are in the form of the laboratory model test tank. The performance of the tests was with changing electrode lengths of 0.25le, 0.5le, 0.75le, and 1.0le. The study analyzed the test data obtained from the Atterberg limit and one-dimensional swelling tests at different extraction points in the test tank and the effect of changing electrode length, le on the performance of the EK treatment. The results of the Design of Experiment (DOE) model analysis revealed that the effect of changing electrode length, le on the plasticity index, PI, and swelling potential, SP of the EK treated soils, was significant. For a specific soil depth, ds, the electrode lengths, le, of 0.5le, and 0.75le were significantly effective in reducing the PI, and the SP of the EK treated soils. Unlike other studies in the literature, the use of DOE analysis in the present study enabled the detection of the significant input factors in the EK treatment and their interactive effects on the PI and the SP, enabling the practicing engineers to navigate accurate design models for large in situ applications.
