Improvement Effect and Electrical Characteristics of Soft Ground with Plastic Electrode Spacing

Abstract

Soft ground stabilization is needed to construct large civil facilities on the soft clay ground. Pre-loading method, which is accelerating consolidation method, is generally used to stabilize the soft ground. However, pre-loading method is required long construction period and quantities of fill material. Therefore, electro-osmosis method is used to replace pre-loading method for stabilizing the soft ground. Electro-osmosis method is disadvantageous in constructive and economic aspects because it is needed a metallic electrode. So, in order to solve the those disadvantages, plastic electrode was developed to replace metallic electrode. Plastic electrode, which is made by using nano-technology on existing Plastic Drain Board (PDB), was used to supply the electric power. In this study, therefore, the model test was conducted to confirm the effect of improvement and electrical characteristics of soft ground by spacing of plastic electrode. The result shows that the effect of improvement of soft ground was decreased up to 45% by increasing electrode spacing and electrical characteristics on the soft ground were influenced by consolidation settlement with electrode spacing.