Permeability of consolidated Bosphorus clays

Abstract

The effects of four independent variables; soil type, preconsolidution load, the rate of application of consolidation pressure, and granulometry, on the permeability of consolidated clays are studied. To find out the relative importances of these factors, a statistically predetermined set of experiments are run on three soil types with various combinations of different levels of variables. Although the effects of these four variables show considerable changes as the void ratio of soil decreases due to consolidation, at the final stages, soil type is found tobe the most important factor, followed by the preconsolitlation load. The other two variables are found to be less signifant compared to these two factors. Secondly, the correlation between the permeability of a soil and several of its physical properties are investigated. Although the number of samples were relatively few, considerably reliable equations are found which relate permeability to the activity, plasticity index and void ratio of soils at different stages of consolidation.