GGU-CONSOLIDATE: Analytical solution with vertical drainage

Besides classical consolidation theory, the program also commands cases in which consolidation is accelerated by vertical drains (e.g. sand drains). These principles are also explained in Braya M. Das (1983); Advanced Soil Mechanics; McGraw Hill.

The honeycomb structure surrounding a drain can be converted to an equivalent circle, so that axis-symmetrical consolidation modelling can be performed for each drain. In this case, according to theory, dissipation of excess pore water pressure only occurs horizontal to the drains (axis-symmetrical), so the drainage conditions at the top and base of the layer need not be given. However, the centres d_e of the drains and the radius r_w of the drains must be given. In consolidation layers with vertical drains the excess pore water pressure at any time is constant across the whole layer depth. The excess pore water pressure is, however, variable as a function of the distance r_e from the axis of the vertical drain. GGU-CONSOLIDATE determines the average pore water pressure distribution.