Sandbox experiments on downscale field electro-osmotic process for PVD enhancement under vacuum condition | |
| Author | Thanapong Lamphoei |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.GE-24-03 |
| Subject(s) | Soil stabilization--Thailand--Bangkok Electro-osmosis |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering in Geotechnical and Earth Resources Engineering |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | This study investigates the effectiveness of vacuum preloading (VP) and its enhancement through electro-osmosis (EO) as a method for improving Bangkok soft clay, a soil type characterized by high water content and low permeability. These conditions pose significant challenges for ground stability and construction across infrastructure projects in the region. The primary aim of this research was to determine whether combining EO with VP could accelerate settlement, improve water discharge, and enhance overall soil behavior. Two laboratory scale experimental setups were developed using reconstituted Bangkok soft clay to evaluate this. The first setup applied Vacuum Preloading alone, followed by EO after the consolidation plateaued. The second implemented EO and VP simultaneously from the beginning. Key parameters, including settlement and water discharge, were monitored throughout the experiments. Asaoka’s method was applied to estimate the time to achieve primary consolidation under each treatment configuration. Results demonstrated that the combined EO with VP system significantly outperformed the sequential method. The EO Vacuum with Preloading setup yielded approximately 36% greater settlement (45 mm compared to 33 mm), a 70% increase in daily water discharge (up to 1700 ml/day), and extended vacuum efficiency by over 40%, maintaining suction effectiveness beyond 7 days. The EO method has successfully reinitiated settlement when vacuum performance declined. These findings validate the combined use of EO and VP as a more effective alternative to conventional vacuum preloading methods alone. The integration of EO enhances drainage uniformity, reduces consolidation time, and offers improved performance in deeper clay layers. This research contributes meaningful insights to both academic study and practical geotechnical engineering, with potential for future field scale application in soft ground improvement for infrastructure development. |
| Year | 2025 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Engineering and Technology |
| Department | Department of Civil and Infrastucture Engineering (DCIE) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Geotechnical and Earth Resources Engineering (GTE)/Former name = Geotechnical Engineering (GE) |
| Chairperson(s) | Avirut Puttiwongrak |
| Examination Committee(s) | Chao, Kuo Chieh;Salisa Chaiyaput |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Royal Thai Government Fellowship |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2025 |