Deformation of Soft Clay Ground Under Raft Foundation with Consideration of Influence Parameters when the Groundwater Level Changes at Different Depths

Abstract

In recent decades, previous research has been done on the displacement of the soft ground under the raft foundation by many methods such as experiments in the laboratory, simulation, and field from many countries in the world. However, the measurement of the influence parameters (cohesion, current Young’s modulus E, active pores pressure, passive pores pressure) of the soft clay ground when the groundwater level changes at different depths wasn’t done particularly. So this research uses the finite element method (PLAXIS 3D software) and experiments in the laboratory to evaluate, analyze, and calculate the results of deformation (displacement) of the soft clay ground under the raft foundation when considering the influent parameters (cohesion, current Young’s modulus E, active pores pressure, passive pores pressure) of the soft clay ground when the groundwater level changes at different depths). The research results clearly show that the value of cohesion parameters with the different groundwater levels at the depths affecting the deformation (displacement, settlement) of the soft clay ground is significant. Moreover, the other influent parameters such as Current Young’s modulus, and active and passive pores pressure changes make remarkable differences in the deformation (displacement, settlement) when the groundwater level changes at different depths. Finally, in the above analyses, it is essential and urgent to research the deformation of the clay ground where the soil is located under the seawater levels variations at depths, and the ground is always affected by saltwater intrusion under the raft foundation where there is no research for this deformation. Moreover, the research results supply useful references to the field of scientific research on Geotechnics, construction, engineers, scientists, lecturers, students, and experts to use these research results to reduce and save labor, survey time, calculation... in the work of surveying, designing and constructing foundations on weak clay soil in the future.