5.1.2 Self-weight consolidation

One can prepare a model ground with the pre-compression stress increasing linearly with depth, by consolidating reconstituted soils under centrifugal conditions without the pre-consolidation process. For example, when a loading test is conducted at the same centrifugal acceleration as that of the consolidation stage, the ground is in a normally consolidated condition. See the picture and figure in the left frame. There observed ground surface with some curvature in the photograph, due to the curved equal-gravitational lines according to the spinning radius of the centrifuge.

Linear distribution of pre-compression stress similar to that mentioned above but with some offset, is achieved by imposing surcharge stresses on the ground surface, as depicted in the photograph and figure in the right frame.