The two-dimensional consolidation theory of electro-osmosis

INTRODUCTION Studies on the application of electro-osmosis in ground improvement include Casagrande (1948, 1983), Bjerrum et al. (1967), Esrig & Gemeinhardt (1967), Fetzer (1967) and Lo et al. (1991). Esrig (1968) presented a one-dimensional consolidation theory of electro-osmosis, which assumes that fluid flows due to an electric field and due to hydraulic gradient may be superimposed to find the total flow. Based on Esrig’s one-dimensional consolidation theory, Wan & Mitchell (1976) also presented a one-dimensional consolidation theory of electro-osmosis, which included the combined effects of electro-osmotic and direct loading consolidation, and proved the effectiveness of the electrode reversal technique. Lewis and Humpheson (1973) provided a numerical analysis that could consider the variation of electric flow in the process of electro-osmosis. However, the effect of electro-osmosis is not uniform, and a one-dimensional consolidation theory cannot thoroughly illustrate the effects of ground improvement. The solutions of two-dimensional consolidation theory with different boundary conditions and initial conditions are provided in this paper.