Engineering the strength and consolidation of reclaimed soft soil (2017-2021)

Soft soil presents significant engineering challenge in Australia and worldwide for many industry sectors. Consolidation of soft soils to improve their strength is difficult and time-consuming. This project aims to develop an effective and efficient approach to strengthening reclaimed soft soils by controlled desiccation. Investigations will be conducted to improve the fundamental understanding of material behaviour and the underlying processes. New electromagnetic measurement and modelling methods will be developed to predict material strengths at the micro and macro scales during desiccation. The new approach will lead to innovative solutions to bearing capacity and settlement problems associated with soft soils.