Department of CE

Improvement of Soft Soil by using

Prefabricated Vertical Drain (PVD)

Submitted To:
Presented By:
Dr. Sarah Tahsin Noor
Associate Professor, Md. Anisuzzaman (19215010)
Department of Civil Engineering Main Uddin (19215017)
University of Asia Pacific

24th September, 2020

 Department of CE
Contents
 Introduction
 Objective
 Review of Various Soil Improvement Techniques
 Methodology for Prefabricated Vertical Drain(PVD)
 Parametric Studies of PVD
 Conclusion
 References

Page 1
 Department of CE
Introduction
Soils are deposited or formed under different environmental conditions
The existing soil at a given site may not be suitable for supporting structures
because of safe bearing capacity of soil may not be adequate to support the provided
load
In that case an engineer will go for the following steps 1) Change the site, 2) Change
the structural design, 3) Increase expenses & 4) Go for ground improvement technique
PVD is one of the most suitable methods for Ground improvement technique. It
increases bearing capacity & strength of soil at the same time reduces the settlement
of soil
It reduces liquefaction hazards to avoid large increase in pore water pressure during
earthquake .It can be a way of improvement of drainage capacity of soft soil. Page 2
 Objectives Department of CE

 To illustrate the installation and working of PVDs

 To study the various advantages, disadvantages and

applications of this particular technique

 To understand the factors affecting the performance of the

drains over the time period such as spacing of drain, diameter of
drain & degree of consolidation etc

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 Department of CE
Review of Various Soil Improvement Techniques

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Stabiliza
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 Prefabricated Vertical Drain (PVD) Department of CE

The ground improvement technique using PVD is one of the

most suitable methods to overcome common problems like
compressible, soft clay & excessive settlement

PVD is also known as wick drain. It consists of channeled

synthetics core wrapped in geotextile fabric

These are flexible, durable & economic

 The Installation of PVD is done by push or vibration using

equipment into the ground

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 Department of CE
Prefabricated Vertical Drain(PVD) Contd.

Fig 1.0 : Installation of PVD

(Source: Google images)
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 Department of CE
Characteristics of PVD
 PVD is a prefabricated material consisting of a plastic core
covered by synthetic “filter jacket”

 Typically 95-100 mm wide by 8-15 mm thick

 Two main components of PVD serve the following functions;

(1) Core serves as a longitudinal flow path along the drain
(2) Filter jacket allows water to pass into the core &
screening the soil particles

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 Department of CE
Contd.

Fig 2.0: PVD or Wick Drain

(Source: Google images)
Page 8
 Discharge Capacity of PVD Department of CE

 Maximum flow observed from PVD=5x10-6 m3/s =158 m3/year

Hydraulic gradient approximately 0.1
 Reduction in discharge capacity due to :
1) Deformation and creep of filter into core
2) Permeability reduction due to clogging of filter and core
3) Bending of PVD during settlement
4) Pressure on PVD

Page 9
 Applications of PVD Department of CE

 Construction of road, railway, embankment, container yard,

airport and ports etc

 Industrial projects

 Land reclamation projects

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 Advantages of PVD Department of CE

It decreases the overall time required for completion of

primary consolidation

It decreases the amount of surcharge load required to

achieve the same desired amount of consolidation over a given
period of time

It increases the rate of strength gain due to consolidation of

soft soils while the short-term stability is of concern
Page 11
 Influence Zone of PVD Department of CE

 PVDs are installed in either square or triangular patterns

 A square pattern is simpler for setting out in the field
 However triangular pattern provides more uniform
consolidation between drains
 Relationship of drain influence zone (D) to drain spacing (S)
can be expressed by
D=1.13S (square) (in figure 3.0)
D=1.05S (triangular) (in figure 3.0) Page 12
 Influence Zone of PVD Contd. Department of CE

Fig 3.0: Typical PVD Layouts and Drainage Influence

Ref: Journal of Engineering Science and Technology Review 12 (4) (2019) 176-182
Page 13
 Department of CE
PVD Installation
 PVD approximately 95-100 mm wide & core thickness 8-15 mm

 PVD arrive at a site in rolls and are placed on the relatively light
installation rig in dispensers like a roll

 It emerges from the bottom of the lance, the PVD is folded around
a steel bar or base plate

 The base plate is preferred to keep the PVD down at the bottom of
the lance and at the same time to keep the soft soil through which it
will be installed out of the lower portion of the lance. so that the drain
properly releases when the lance is withdrawn
Page 14
 PVD Installation Contd. Department of CE

PVD installation units are typically powered and supported by large crawler
excavator or rig

Pull down is typically accomplished by heavy chain, cable, or gear systems.

Depending on the subsurface conditions, the mandrel may be vibrated or
stoically pushed into the ground

PVD center-to-center spacing is usually in the range of 1.0-2.5m

The drains are typically laid out in a triangular grid pattern, less commonly
in square grids and occasionally in rectangular or irregular grid patterns

The majority of applications are between 5m to 36m depth; however, drains

have been installed to depths up to 45m
Page
PVD Installation Contd. Department of CE

Fig 4.0: Installation of PVD

(Source: Google images) Page 16
 PVD Installation Contd. Department of CE

Fig 5.0: Typical PVD Layouts and Installation of PVD

(Source: Google images)
Page 17
PVD Installation Contd. Department of CE

Fig 6.0: Inter connecting PVD

(Source: Google images)
Page 18
 Department of CE
Parametric Studies of PVD
Effect of Spacing of Drain

Effect of Diameter of Drain

Effect of Degree of Consolidation

Page
 Department of CE
Parametric Studies of PVD Contd.
mm/day
Effect of Spacing of Drain

unit in meter

Fig 7.0: Time Vs Consolidation Rate for various Interval

Ref: Journal of Engineering Science and Technology Review 12 (4) (2019) 176-182
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 Department of CE
Parametric Studies of PVD Contd.
Effect of Diameter of Drain

Fig 8.0: Time Vs Consolidation Rate for various Diameter

Ref: Journal of Engineering Science and Technology Review 12 (4) (2019) 176-182
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 Department of CE
Parametric Studies of PVD Contd.
Effect of Degree of Consolidation

mm/day

unit in m3/year

Fig 9.0: Time Vs Consolidation Rate for Degree of Consolidation

Ref: Journal of Engineering Science and Technology Review 12 (4) (2019) 176-182
Page 22
 Comparison between Time Vs Department of CE
Settlement for Various types of PVD

Fig 10.0: Time Vs settlement curve

(Ref: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geotexmem.2018.04.013 & Google image & )

Page 23
Comparison between Time Vs Department of CE
Settlement for PVD

Fig 11.0: Settlement plot with and without vertical drain

(Ref: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/306467669)

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 Conclusion Department of CE

Consolidation time increases with increasing spacing of drain

Consolidation time increases with increasing degree of consolidation

Consolidation time decreases with increasing diameter of drain

 Bilateral flow consolidation time is less than the consolidation for unilateral
flow irrespective of square or triangular pattern

 Comparison to square pattern consolidation time less than for triangular

pattern for prefabricated vertical drains (PVD) irrespective of unilateral or
bilateral flow.

PVD is a low cost method but its consume more time.

Page 25
 References Department of CE

1. Jun Wang , Ziquan Fang , Yuanqiang Cai , Jinchun Chai , Peng Wang , Xeuyu Geng, 2018. Preloading using fill
surcharge and prefabricated vertical drains for an airport. Geotextiles and Geomembranes Volume 46, Issue5.
2. Matahari M.R. 2019. Parametric investigation of heterogeneous unit cell improved by PVDs using FEM. Journal of
Engineering Science and Technology Review 12 (4) (2019) 176-182.
3. Myint Win Bo , Arul Arulrajah , Suksun Horpibulsuk , Melvyn Leong, 2015. Quality management of prefabricated
vertical drain materials in mega land reclamation projects: A case study. Soils and Foundation Volume 55,Issue4.

4. B.Indraratna , C.Rujikiatkamjorn , A.S.BalaSubramaniam, G.Mclntosh, 2011. Soft ground improvement via

vertical drains and vacuum assisted preloading. Geotextiles and Geomembranes Volume30.

5. J.Chu , M.W.Bo , V.Chao, 2006. Improvement of ultra-soft soil using prefabricated vertical drains. Geotextiles and
Geomembranes Volume 24,Issue 6.

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 Department of CE

Thank
You