Preloading clayey deposit by vacuum pressure with cap-drain: Analyses versus performance

A method of improving soft clayey deposit by combining cap-drain (CPVD) with vacuum pressure is described. The method uses a surface or subsurface soil layer as a sealing layer with no need to place an air-tightening sheet on the ground surface. It is explained that the method has advantages for the following situations: (a) a higher air/water permeability layer at ground surface and (b) combining vacuum pressure with embankment load. A case history of consolidating a reclaimed clayey deposit by combining CPVD with vacuum pressure is analyzed and discussed. The site was in an under-consolidated state before starting the project. It is shown that the method is effective, and the method proposed by Chai et al. [Ground deformation induced by vacuum consolidation. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, ASCE 131(12), 1552–1561] for calculating the vacuum-pressure-induced ground deformation is useful for the design of the vacuum consolidation project. The back-calculation shows that for this under-consolidated deposit, vacuum pressure caused plane strain type isotropic deformation near the ground surface.