What is a consolidation test?
The consolidation test, also called the oedometer test, is measurement of how the soils are compressed when they are saturated with water and are exposed to different amounts of burden or changing soil weight. Used conditions exist when the water is added until the soil is absorbed. Soil testing is performed both for understanding the existing soil conditions and for the determination of acceptable load factors in the construction of the building base. The samples are compressed between two porous stones with increasing weight, with a sample height measured when weight changes. The porous stones allow them to pass them with water while maintaining strength to withstand the test load. During the test, water is added to the soil to maintain fully saturated soil. The consolidation test measures how compact it is when the water is pushed. This test is important because the building foundation may not be deep enough to reach the subsoil, or the rock layers do not have to be present where the structures will be held. Architects and building involvedIt must understand how the soil will respond to compression or to the weight of the building structure.
The soil consolidation test is considered one -dimensional because the sample is placed in a metal ring that prevents the soil from moving on the sides. The load compression is axial or from the upper direction and moves down in a straight line, so there are no soil characteristics that are not set. One of the factors that has not been tested by this method is shear strength, which is soil resistance measurement to the side or tear load.
soil characteristics can also provide data for geologists to study land history. The consolidation test will show different results for newly stored soils versus older soil. The soil will naturally compress over time and the effects of glaciers or lakes are no longer present.
Another factor in checking the test data onConsolidation is the amount of swelling or reflection that can occur if the load is removed. If the soils containing large water and a change in loads, such as bridges or other structures, the soil occurs, the soil may swell if the load has not fully compressed the soil. These changing soil conditions could damage the foundations and structures, so it is important to understand the soil behavior if the load is added or removed.