Experimental study on radial consolidation of soil around drainage plate

Considering the influence of attenuation distribution pattern of negative pressure along a PVD, model tests are carried out to simulate the process of radial consolidation of soil around the PVD at a depth of foundation with vacuum negative pressure. By analyzing the characteristics of the physico-mechanical properties of soil, permeability, compressibility and particle distribution along the radius, the influence of different vacuum negative pressure on the radial consolidation of soil around the PVD is studied. The experimental results show that with the decrease of the vacuum degree along the PVD, the influence of drainage plate on the surrounding soil is gradually reduced and the depth of the soft foundation is better than that of the deeper part. Under the vacuum negative pressure difference, the fine particles move toward to the PVD, making fine particles content increase around the PVD. Based on the vacuum seepage field theory, combined with the test results, the cause of migration of fine particles in the vacuum preloading process is analyzed, and the formation mechanism of the soil pile is further explained.