Influence of soil crack on large-deformation consolidation of dredged clay under vacuum preloading: A numerical solution

The presence of cracks in dredged clay can influence its consolidation behavior under vacuum preloading. Existing large-strain consolidation models do not consider crack effects. This study proposes a new large-strain consolidation model considering cracks (LSCC) that, for the first time, incorporates the influence of cracks on the permeability and vacuum transmission characteristics of dredged clay. The LSCC model can accurately calculate the consolidation behavior of cracked dredged clay under vacuum preloading. The model divides the soil around the prefabricated vertical drain (PVD) into a cracked area and an undisturbed area. Finite difference methods are employed to solve the model numerically. Validation against a physical model test demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Parametric studies investigate the impact of crack formation time and the reduction in permeability due to crack closure under vacuum. Results indicate that cracks accelerate consolidation in the early stages but do not affect the final settlement if sufficient time is allowed. This work provides new insights into the consolidation mechanisms of dredged clay with cracks and offers a practical numerical model for vacuum preloading design.