Settlement in peat soils 1

[Geotech09]

I am an undergraduate student in civil engineering currently working on a project where we have tens of structures settling in soil with huge differential settlements as well.(the area was previously a wetland and was reclaimed by doing sone filling). I took out samples from foundations levels and noticed the material is fibrous (peat soils)۔ I run consolidation test in lab on this soil but the loading arm lever always touches frame with this soil after few days. I noticed 2 houses adjacent to each other one with huge settlement and the other (raft foundation provided) had negligible effects, I computed the loads and stresses exerted by these structures on soil. Found out the house with raft foundation exerts about 6.6 Tonnes per square meter stress on soil. Can peat soils bear that much load. Since most of the literature is concerned with inorganic soils. I would like to have some guidance from your experience and knowledge. That will be your most kindness

 

[CarlB]

Peat can have highly variable properties, but generally is low strength, and high compressibility. Also, deposit thickness can vary over short distances.
Structures you note with abnormally high movement may have experienced shear failure, and displacement.

Here's one document that presents a method for estimating settlement.

https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2235&context=icchge

 

[dik]

Excellent article, Carl...

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So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik