1 Consolidation of Embankment on Soft Clay

1.1

Problem Description

This example considers the case where multiple layers of embankment are constructed on 4
layers of soil. The embankment is built to a height of 1.5m in three stages. The soil profile and
embankment geometry are given in Figures 1 and 2. Input parameters are listed in Table 1 and
the schedule for adding embankment layers is shown in Figure 3 [1].

Crust Clay, Slightly Sandy

Clay, soft, estuarine
Indurated sand, dense

Clay, soft to firm, stiff

Figure 1 : Soil profile [1]

Figure 2 : Embankment Geometry [1]

Embankment Height
2

Height (m)

1.5
1
0.5
0
0

50

100

150

Time (d)
Figure 3 : Schedule for adding embankment layers

Table 1 : Soil input parameters

Crust
Soft Clay
Sand
Stiff Clay
Fill

t
(kN/m3)
18.94
15.08
19.80
15.99
18

OCR K0

MCC parameters

e
M

8
5.3
1.06
-

0.011
0.020
0.009
-

0.078
0.587
0.134
-

1.28
1.10
0.56
0.54
-

0.98
4.00
2.18
-

1.33
1.07
1.11
-

kv (m/s)

E (kPa)

7.0 10-8
1.6510-9
1.010-6
6.9510-10
0.1

0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3

1940
609

The problem was analyzed in Modified Cam-Clay mode. Ground water is at 1m below the
surface.
1.2

Creating The Model

1.2.1 Project Settings

In the Project Settings window, under the General Tab the analysis type is set to Coupled
(Biot) and the solver type is set to Automatic. Under the Stages tab, 32 stages are created
with the first stage being a steady-state stage followed by transient stages.

Figure 4 : Project Settings window

1.2.2 Geometry
The model was created by drawing the geometry and the material boundaries, shown in Figure 5.
The geometry was then extruded 84m in the Z direction. This would result in an 84m slice. The
slice was then duplicated and similar slices were inserted after and before the initial slice. The
middle slice was then split into two 42m slices. The Edit Slice Properties window, Figure 7,
was used for duplicating and splitting slices. Splitting the middle slice creates a line under the
center of the embankment. This line will be used to increase the mesh density in the next steps.
This line is shown in Figure 8.

Figure 5 : Geometry of the model

Figure 6 : Splitting the slices

Figure 7 : Edit Slice Properties window

Figure 8 : Line under the center of the embankment used for increasing mesh density

1.2.3 Materials and Staging

The next step is to define the material properties for the soil layers from Table 1. The crust, soft
clay and stiff clay layers are set to Modified Cam Clay and the sand and embankment layers are
set to Mohr Coulomb. Initial loading for the soil layers is set to Field Stress and Body Force
and to Body Force Only for the embankment layer in order to take into account the effect of
gravity. The Material Properties window is shown in Figure 9.

Figure 9 : Material Properties window

1.2.4 Groundwater
Groundwater is at 1m below the surface of the embankment therefore Zero Pressure
groundwater boundary condition is applied at this depth. The Add Groundwater Boundary
Condition window is shown in Figure 10. Hydraulic properties of the soil layers, shown in
Figure 11, are defined using the values for parameter kv in Table 1. Linear permeability is defined
for all materials as shown in Figure 12. Fluid permeability is set to isotropic, i.e. permeability is
the same in all directions.

Figure 10 : Add Ground Water Boundary Condition window

Figure 11 : Hydraulic properties of the soil layers

Figure 12 : User Defined Permeability Function window

1.2.5 Restraints
Figure 14 shows the boundary conditions of the model. For edges with XZ restraints, Edges
and Points mode is selected from the Add Restraints window as shown in Figure 13. For
restraints on the surfaces of the model, Surface and Edges mode is selected.
Note that there could be cases where the boundary conditions that are applied first might be
overwritten by ones that are applied afterwards. In these cases, the latest boundary conditions are
the dominant ones.

Figure 13 : Restraints window

XZ Restraint
(Edge)
X Restraint
Z Restraint
XZ Restraint
(Edge)

XZ Restraint
(Edge)
Z Restraint
X Restraint
XZ Restraint
(Edge)

XYZ Restraint
(Bottom)

Figure 14 : Boundary conditions of the model

Figure 15 : Field Stress Properties window

In the Field Stress Properties window, shown in Figure 15, the field stress type is set to gravity
and under the Advanced tab, custom stress ratio is defined for the soil layers using the values
for parameter K0 from Table1.

1.2.6 Mesh
Low density mesh is initially applied to the model using the Mesh Setup window in Figure 16.
The mesh is then customized in order to get higher density along the line shown in Figure 8

using the Custom Mesh feature shown in Figure 17. Edge mode needs to be selected for
customizing the mesh.

Figure 16 : Mesh Setup window

Figure 17 : Custom Mesh Parameters window

1.3

Results

A query point, shown in Figure 18, is placed 4m under the center of the embankment to observe
the results for excess pore water pressure. The results are plotted versus time using the Query
Graph Data window as illustrated in Figure 19. Note that all stages need to be selected to get
accurate results. Figure 20 shows the results for the model.

Query point

Figure 18 : Location of query point in the model

Figure 19 : Graph Query Data window

Excess Pore Water Pressure Vs. Time

(center of embankment)
Excess Pore Water Pressure (kPa)

20
15
10
5

field data

RS3 - MCC - 3D

-5
-10
10

100

1000

10000

Time (d)
Figure 20 : Excess pore water pressure versus time for the Modified Cam-Clay model

1.4

References

1. Huang, W., Fityus, S., Bishop, D., Smith, D., & Sheng, D. (2006). Finite-element parametric
study of the consolidation behavior of a trial embankment on soft clay. International Journal
of Geomechanics, 6(5), 328-341.