Radial Consolidation for equal strain with resistance in the vertical drain

•Since Barron’s work, a little contribution has been done to the equal strain model.•In this work, Barron’s equations have been manipulated to facilitate its application by the practitioner engineer.•Barron introduced the equal strain model for radial consolidation.•Toward the end of the century sand drains have been replace by the so called wick drains.•The process of consolidation of clays and other fine grain soils takes long time to occur.

Since Barron’s work, a little contribution has been done to the equal strain model. This paper presents a comparative study using the results obtained from Barron’s original and modified equation and utilizing finite differences techniques. The outcomes obtained by Barron’s modified equation are close to those obtained by the finite differences technique and Barron’s. Barron’s modified solution includes the horizontal coefficient of consolidation (includes the soil void ration and the compressibility) and considers that the variation of the effective stress is equal to the variation of the pore pressure. Barron’s modified equation is much easier to implement and its use does not require appreciable different data.

Graphical abstractSketch of a vertical sand drain system.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide