Experimental study on settling consolidation behavior of Hong Kong marine deposits

Abstract

The time-dependent feature of soft soils has gained intensive attraction in recent years. Due to the high water content and viscous property, the Hong Kong marine deposit (HKMD) frequently poses challenge to geotechnical practice, particularly to the reclamation in Hong Kong. A key issue regarding reclamation design, foundation construction and maintenance is excess settlement/deformation of the ground. Formation of HKMD typically goes through sedimentation and self-weight consolidation. A series of one-dimensional settling column consolidation tests are conducted on the HKMD. Results reveal that the settling curve and settling rate are significantly affected by the sediment concentration. Further study is conducted on the viscous behaviour in self-weight consolidation. Related parameters from sketches are evaluated for a better interpretation of the whole settling and consolidation behaviors.