Experimental Study On Electrochemistry Phenomenon During Electro-osmotic Process

Electro-osmosis is a traditional soft soil reinforcement technique with the advantage of fast consolidation speed, safety and environmental protection. However, this technique still has some limitations such as electro-chemical corrosion of electrodes and high electric energy consumption etc. In addition, study on electro-osmosis often ignores electrochemistry problem involved in its process. Design and calculation of electro-osmotic are still based on some early theory. Therefore, extensive study on electrical and chemical problems of electro-osmotic is extremely of value in the improvement of the electro-osmotic consolidation theory and the guidance of its practical application. In view of it, several series of tests were conducted in custom-built electro-osmotic model box.The main studies and achievements in this thesis are as following:1. The consolidation theory of Electro-osmosis in the civil engineering was summarized. The microcosmic process and electrochemistry phenomena were concluded based on the literatures published.2. After electro-osmotic consolidation, the soil water content is inhomogeneous under the one-dimensional drainage conditions. The effect that Electro-osmotic consolidation make on the soil in drainage can be ordered as:sludge>Chongqing clay>Jingzhou expansive soil.3. Decreasing of the electric current during the process of electro-osmotic followed a certain style of exponential function. A concept of critical energy level density of soil was proposed based on the energy analysis method, and the final electric current was verified via experiments as well.4. The change of initial resistance of soil was small, which was not the main reason for the decrease of the current, the interface electric resistance increased when the water content of soil near anode decreased.5. Critical energy level density of soil increase when apply the technique of intermittent electrifying, this phenomenon is detrimental to the drainage.6. After electro-osmotic treatment, the expansibility of the soil near the anode decreased and that of the soil near the cathode increased.