Application of electro-osmosis method on Baghdad soft clay shear strength using vane shear test and pile installation efficiency (Experimental study)

Yasun, Azhar S.; Mohammed Shafiq, Qassun; Güler, Erol

doi:10.30772/qjes.2026.163852.1691

	Application of electro-osmosis method on Baghdad soft clay shear strength using vane shear test and pile installation efficiency (Experimental study)
Al-Qadisiyah Journal for Engineering Sciences
Volume 19, Issue 3, July 2026, Pages 329-338 PDF (7.59 M)
Document Type: Research Paper
DOI: 10.30772/qjes.2026.163852.1691
Authors
Azhar S. Yasun^* ¹; Qassun Mohammed Shafiq¹; Erol Güler²
¹Civil Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, Iraq.
²Dept. of Civil, Environmental, and Infrastructure Engineering, George Mason Univ., Fairfax, VA, The USA.
Abstract
This paper examines the characteristics of soft clayey soils prevalent in the central and southern regions of Iraq. The study focuses on assessing the impact of electro-osmosis (E.O.) on both the shear strength of these soils and the efficiency of pile driving, including the installation of experimental piles. The investigation employs laboratory equipment and locally sourced Baghdad soft clay soil to conduct a comprehensive test program. This program encompasses conventional soil tests and utilizes two specialized soil boxes designed for E.O. to collect essential parameters for pile prototype installation. The primary objective is to explore how E.O. affects the pile driving process. The shear strength was evaluated through four vane shear tests, with vertical E.O. voltage applied at varying depths. The findings indicate that the shear strength in anode regions exceeds control results by up to 100%, with a decrease in strength observed as testing moves towards the cathode. Another significant finding is the Percentage Reduction in Blows, which typically ranges from 65% to 90%. These outcomes were derived from four tests conducted at a soil water content of 25%.
Highlights
Electro-osmosis increased Baghdad soft clay shear strength by up to 100%. Horizontal EO outperformed vertical EO for shear strength improvement. EO reduced pile driving blows by 65–90% at 25% water content. EO enhanced pile installation efficiency in soft Baghdad clay.
Keywords
Baghdad soft clayey; Soil stabilization; Electro-osmosis; Undrained shear strength; Pile penetration efficiency

References
J. Shang, “Electroosmosis-enhanced preloading consolidation via vertical drains,” Canadian Geotechnical Journal, vol. 35, no. 3, pp. 491–499, 1998. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1139/t98-018 A. Rittirong and J. Shang, “Electro-osmotic stabilization,” in Ground Improvement Case Histories, 2015, pp. 453–485. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-100191-2.00014-9 S. A. Nugroho, S. P. R. Wardani, and A. S. Muntohar, “Density, load, and fly ash effect on stabilization of high plasticity soil with lime,” Al-Qadisiyah Journal for Engineering Sciences, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 102–107, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.30772/qjes.v16i2.925 A. A. J. Alnaieli and S. Al-Busaltan, “Characterizing polymer modified cementations grout for semi-flexible pavement mixtures,” Al-Qadisiyah Journal for Engineering Sciences, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 241–246, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.30772/qjes.v14i4.894 A. Q. Hasan, “Optimal shape of concrete tanks under seismic load considering soil-structure interaction,” Al-Qadisiyah Journal for Engineering Sciences, vol. 18, no. 1, p. 6, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.30772/qjes.2024.147340.1146 A. A. Sahib and P. Vinod, “Evaluation of various electrode configurations in electro-osmosis,” in Indian Geotechnical Conference, 2010, pp. 301–303. F. Burnotte, G. Lefebvre, and G. Grondin, “A case record of electroosmotic consolidation of soft clay with improved soil electrode contact,” Canadian Geotechnical Journal, vol. 41, no. 6, pp. 1038–1053, 2004. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1139/t04-045 A. Zareh, R. V. Poursorkhabi, A. A. Majdi, and F. B. Sarand, “The efficiency of the electro-osmosis method on the consolidation and strength properties of the gray clay of tabriz,” Geoenvironmental Disasters, vol. 10, no. 1, p. 16, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40677-023-00245-6 K. N. M. Nizar, “Electro osmotic piles,” Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Ground Improvement, vol. 2, pp. 135–144, 2014. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1680/grim.12.00023 X. Yang, M. Jiao, B. Cao, S. Huang, Y. Ma, and N. Jiang, “Influence of inorganic coagulant pre-conditioning on sludge electro-dewatering behavior,” SSRN, p. 5178745, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5178745 Z. Ruoxuan, S. Xiuli, W. Yu, J. Xun, Y. Qinjie, and L. Wenhua, “Energy consumption in a large-scale 3d electro-osmosis-hydraulic synergism system for sludge consolidation,” Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology, vol. 50, no. 1, pp. 69–77, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.16030/j.cnki.issn.1000-3665.202112040 W. Qi, Y. Shen, S. Li, and K. Chen, “Study on the interaction between the reduction and remediation of dredged sediments from tai lake based on vacuum electro-osmosis,” Applied Sciences, vol. 13, no. 2, p. 741, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.3390/app13020741 I. Paix˜ao and et al., “Electrokinetic-fenton for the remediation low hydraulic conductivity soil contaminated with petroleum,” Chemosphere, vol. 248, p. 126029, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.126029 E. Mohamedelhassan and J. Shang, “Effects of electrode materials and current intermittence in electro-osmosis,” Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Ground Improvement, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 3–11, 2001. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1680/grim.2001.5.1.3 B. A. Nikolaev, Pile driving by electroosmosis. Springer, 1962. N. Lockhart and G. Hart, “Electro-osmotic dewatering of fine suspensions: the efficacy of current interruptions,” Drying Technology, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 415–423, 1988. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1080/07373938808916391 K.-S. Guo and Y.-F. Zhuang, “Measurement methodology and characteristics of interfacial resistance in electro-osmosis,” Geosynthetics International, pp. 1–9, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1680/jgein.22.00156 R. Butterfield and I. Johnston, “The influence of electro-osmosis on metallic piles in clay,” Geotechnique, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 17–37, 1980. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1980.30.1.17 K. Lo, I. Inculet, and K. Ho, “Electroosmotic strengthening of soft sensitive clays,” Canadian Geotechnical Journal, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 62–73, 1991. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1139/t91-007 L. Bjerrum, J. Moum, and O. Eide, “Application of electro-osmosis to a foundation problem in a norwegian quick clay,” Geotechnique, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 214–235, 1967. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1967.17.3.214 A. Estabragh, M. Naseh, and A. Javadi, “Improvement of clay soil by electro-osmosis technique,” Applied Clay Science, vol. 95, pp. 32–36, 2014. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2014.03.019 S. Jayasekera, “Electrokinetics to modify strength characteristics of soft clayey soils: a laboratory based investigation,” Electrochimica Acta, vol. 181, pp. 39–47, 2015. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2015.06.064 J. Zhou, Y. L. Tao, C. J. Xu, X. N. Gong, and P. C. Hu, “Electro-osmotic strengthening of silts based on selected electrode materials,” Soils and Foundations, vol. 55, no. 5, pp. 1171–1180, 2015. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2015.09.017 A. T. Ibraheem and H. M. M. M. Alddin, “Studying the impact of soil stabilization techniques on rigid pavement joints across various axle loads,” Al-Nahrain Journal for Engineering Sciences, vol. 26, no. 4, pp. 351–357, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.29194/NJES.26040351 M. A. Talib and Q. A. Aljanabi, “An experimental study on settlement for gypseous soil using electrical method,” Diyala Journal of Engineering Sciences, pp. 76–85, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.24237/djes.2021.14107 L. Casagrande, The application of electro-osmosis to practical problems in foundations and earthworks. HM Stationery Office, 1947. M. K. Kherad, A. H. Vakili, M. R. bin Selamat, M. Salimi, M. S. Farhadi, and M. Dezh, “An experimental evaluation of electroosmosis treatment effect on the mechanical and chemical behavior of expansive soils,” Arabian Journal of Geosciences, vol. 13, no. 6, p. 260, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-5266-3 A. S. Al-Gharbawi, S. M. AbdulRahman, and A. I. Fadhil, “Shear strength of soils stabilized with cement and cement with sugar,” in IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, vol. 1507, no. 1, 2025, p. 012051. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1507/1/012051 Y. Cui, F. Zhong, C. Qi, X. Yang, and X. Gao, “A vertical electro-osmosis method to improve the bearing capacity of piles in marine soft clay,” Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, vol. 11, no. 4, p. 790, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11040790 F. Zhong, C. Qi, Z. Zhou, and Z. Zhang, “Static characteristics study of pile-soil interaction under vertical electroosmosis,” Heliyon, vol. 9, no. 4, p. e15209, 2023. [Online]. Available: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15209 L. Soderman and V. Milligan, “Capacity of friction piles in varved clay increased by electro-osmosis,” in Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, vol. 2, 1961, pp. 143–147. W. Jiang, S. Ge, X. Huang, Z. Chen, and J. Li, “General analytical solutions for one-dimensional large strain consolidation of soft soils under electroosmosis– surcharge preloading,” Soils and Foundations, vol. 62, no. 5, p. 101211, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2022.101211 J. D. Phillips and C. Lorz, “Origins and implications of soil layering,” Earth-Science Reviews, vol. 89, no. 3-4, pp. 144–155, 2008. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2008.04.003 V. Milligan, “First application of electro-osmosis to improve friction pile capacity-three decades later,” in International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, 1994, pp. 1–5. J. K. Mitchell, K. Soga, and C. O’Sullivan, Fundamentals of soil behavior. John Wiley and Sons, 2025. H. D. Sharma and S. P. Lewis, Waste containment systems, waste stabilization, and landfills: design and evaluation. John Wiley and Sons, 1994.
Statistics Article View: 299 PDF Download: 181