SOIL IMPROVEMENT USING ELECTROKINETIC

This Ph.D. thesis addresses issues relevant to the
improvement of the strength properties of soft soils
and the dewatering and consolidation of sediments
and mine tailings. Electrokinetic treatment and
vacuum preloading are the techniques investigated in
the thesis. Despite the invention of electrokinetic
treatment of soil in the late 1930s, the technique
has not been commonly used due in part to lack of
a proper understanding of the factors influencing
the process. The vacuum preloading consolidation has
been applied in land reclamation and other projects
since 1957. However, the design of vacuum preloading
systems is primarily empirical. Numerical modelling
and experimental studies are needed to predict the
outcome of the treatment and optimize the technique.
The thesis contains two major studies in the
principles of soil improvement, i.e. electrokinetics
related and vacuum consolidation related. In the
electrokinetics studies, the thesis covers eight
major parameters that may influence the process. In
the vacuum consolidation, the thesis focused on
developing an analytical model, and designing a
testing apparatus to verify the model.

Autorentext

Dr. Mohamedelhassan is an associate professor in the Dept. of Civil Engineering at Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON. He obtained his undergraduate and gradates degrees from the University of Western Ontario. His research interests include improving the properties of weak soils, remediation of contaminated soils, and prevention of AMD.

Klappentext

This Ph.D. thesis addresses issues relevant to the improvement of the strength properties of soft soils and the dewatering and consolidation of sediments and mine tailings. Electrokinetic treatment and vacuum preloading are the techniques investigated in the thesis. Despite the invention of electrokinetic treatment of soil in the late 1930s, the technique has not been commonly used due in part to lack of a proper understanding of the factors influencing the process. The vacuum preloading consolidation has been applied in land reclamation and other projects since 1957. However, the design of vacuum preloading systems is primarily empirical. Numerical modelling and experimental studies are needed to predict the outcome of the treatment and optimize the technique. The thesis contains two major studies in the principles of soil improvement, i.e. electrokinetics related and vacuum consolidation related. In the electrokinetics studies, the thesis covers eight major parameters that may influence the process. In the vacuum consolidation, the thesis focused on developing an analytical model, and designing a testing apparatus to verify the model.