# US 10,370,814 B2 · System for consolidating soft clay by combined anode boosting and electro-osmosis and method for consolidating soft clay > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,370,814 B2 - Document ID: US10370814B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/713,393 - Filed: 2017-09-22 - Published: 2018-11-29 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-23 - Assignees: Wenzhou University - Applicants: Wenzhou University - Inventors: Hongtao Fu; Jun Wang; Yuanqiang Cai; Huanhuan Qiao; Yawei Jin; Peng Wang; Junfeng Ni; Ziquan Fang; Jinqiang Jin; Youchang Lv; Haisheng Jin; Changchen Zhou - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370814B2 ## CPC - E02D 3/11: by thermal, electrical or electro-chemical means (freezing soil for interrupting passage of underground water E02D19/14) - E02D 3/12: Consolidating by placing solidifying or pore-filling substances in the soil (making piles E02D5/46; soil-conditioning or soil-stabilising materials C09K17/00; consolidation of ground around boreholes or wells E21B43/025) - E02D: FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS (specially adapted for hydraulic engineering E02B); UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES {(tunnels, tunnelling, mining E21)} ## Abstract The present invention discloses a system for consolidating soft clay by combined anode boosting and electro-osmosis, comprising a vacuum preloading system, wherein the vacuum preloading system comprises anode tubes, cathode tubes, a power supply, a boosting device, sealing cloth and a pumping and drainage device; the sealing cloth is covered above soft clay; air vents are formed on side faces of the cathode tubes and the anode tubes; the cathode tubes and the anode tubes are connected to a boosted pumping and drainage pipe above the soft clay through pipelines; the boosted pumping and drainage pipe is configured with the boosting device and the pumping and drainage device; and, the anode tubes and the cathode tubes are connected to an anode and a cathode of the power supply, respectively. The present invention further provides a method for consolidating soft clay by using the system for consolidating soft clay by combined anode boosting and electro-osmosis. In the present invention, after the anode tubes are configured with a boosting device, a gas can be fed into the anode tubes; under the combined action of the high-pressure gas and the anode tubes, water is squeezed to the cathode tubes, so that water can be drained from the soil more thoroughly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for consolidating soft clay by combined anode boosting and electro-osmosis, comprising a vacuum preloading system, characterized in that the vacuum preloading system comprises anode tubes, cathode tubes, a power supply, a boosting device, sealing cloth and a pumping and drainage device; the sealing cloth is covered above soft clay; air vents are formed on side faces of the cathode tubes and the anode tubes; the cathode tubes and the anode tubes are connected to a boosted pumping and drainage pipe above the soft clay through pipelines; the boosted pumping and drainage pipe is configured with the boosting device and the pumping and drainage device; and, the anode tubes and the cathode tubes are connected to an anode and a cathode of the power supply, respectively, characterized in that one-way valves are provided on conduits from the pipelines of the anode tubes and the cathode tubes to the boosting device, and the one-way valves are turned-on in a single direction downward. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system for consolidating soft clay by combined anode boosting and electro-osmosis according to claim 1, characterized in that the anode tubes and the cathode tubes are interlaced at intervals. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system for consolidating soft clay by combined anode boosting and electro-osmosis according to claim 1, characterized in that both the cathode tubes and the anode tubes are conductive tubes; the conductive tubes are connected to the power supply through an automatic power supply switching system capable of automatically switching the anode and the cathode; the boosting device and the pumping and drainage device are connected at an upper outlet of each of the conductive tubes through pipelines; both the boosting device and the pumping and drainage device are connected to the pipelines through a reversing valve; the reversing valve is provided with an actuator; and, all the boosting device, the pumping and drainage device and the actuator are connected to a PLC (programmable logic controller). ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system for consolidating soft clay by combined anode boosting and electro-osmosis according to claim 3, characterized in that the vacuum preloading system further comprises a flocculant delivery device which is connected to the PLC and connected to the pipelines through the reversing valve. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system for consolidating soft clay by combined anode boosting and electro-osmosis according to claim 3, characterized in that the anode tubes and the cathode tubes are interlaced at intervals. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system for consolidating soft clay by combined anode boosting and electro-osmosis according to claim 1, characterized in that the vacuum preloading system further comprises a flocculant delivery device which is connected to a PLC and connected to the pipelines through a reversing valve. ### Claim 7 A system for consolidating soft clay by combined anode boosting and electro-osmosis, comprising a vacuum preloading system, characterized in that the vacuum preloading system comprises anode tubes, cathode tubes, a power supply, a boosting device, sealing cloth and a pumping and drainage device; the sealing cloth is covered above soft clay; air vents are formed on side faces of the cathode tubes and the anode tubes; the cathode tubes and the anode tubes are connected to a boosted pumping and drainage pipe above the soft clay through pipelines; the boosted pumping and drainage pipe is configured with the boosting device and the pumping and drainage device; and, the anode tubes and the cathode tubes are connected to an anode and a cathode of the power supply, respectively, characterized in that both the cathode tubes and the anode tubes are conductive tubes; the conductive tubes are connected to the power supply through an automatic power supply switching system capable of automatically switching the anode and the cathode; the boosting device and the pumping and drainage device are connected at an upper outlet of each of the conductive tubes through pipelines; both the boosting device and the pumping and drainage device are connected to the pipelines through a reversing valve; the reversing valve is provided with an actuator; and, all the boosting device, the pumping and drainage device and the actuator are connected to a PLC (programmable logic controller). ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system for consolidating soft clay by combined anode boosting and electro-osmosis according to claim 7, characterized in that the vacuum preloading system further comprises a flocculant delivery device which is connected to the PLC and connected to the pipelines through the reversing valve. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system for consolidating soft clay by combined anode boosting and electro-osmosis according to claim 7, characterized in that the anode tubes and the cathode tubes are interlaced at intervals. ### Claim 10 A system for consolidating soft clay by combined anode boosting and electro-osmosis, comprising a vacuum preloading system, characterized in that the vacuum preloading system comprises anode tubes, cathode tubes, a power supply, a boosting device, sealing cloth and a pumping and drainage device; the sealing cloth is covered above soft clay; air vents are formed on side faces of the cathode tubes and the anode tubes; the cathode tubes and the anode tubes are connected to a boosted pumping and drainage pipe above the soft clay through pipelines; the boosted pumping and drainage pipe is configured with the boosting device and the pumping and drainage device; and, the anode tubes and the cathode tubes are connected to an anode and a cathode of the power supply, respectively, characterized in that the vacuum preloading system further comprises a flocculant delivery device which is connected to a PLC and connected to the pipelines through a reversing valve. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) A method for consolidating soft clay by using the system for consolidating soft clay by combined anode boosting and electro-osmosis according to claim 7, comprising the following steps of: A. arranging anode tubes and cathode tubes in a vacuum preloading tank, connecting the anode tubes and the cathode tubes to a boosting device and a pumping and drainage device through the pipelines, and electrically connecting the anode tubes and the cathode tubes to a power supply through an automatic power supply switching system; B. feeding soft clay slurry into the vacuum preloading tank; C. covering sealing cloth over the soft clay slurry layer; D. switching a reversing valve to a state in which the pumping and drainage device is connected to the pipelines, and activating the pumping and drainage device connected to the cathode tubes and the anode tubes to preliminarily drain water; E. turning on the power supply to connect the cathode tubes and the anode tubes, opening the pumping and drainage device connected to the cathode tubes, and closing the pumping and drainage device connected to the anode tubes so that water is gathered toward the cathode tubes and then drained; F. switching the reversing valve at one end of the anode tubes to a state in which the boosting device is connected to the pipelines, and activating the boosting device connected to the anode tubes; G. activating the automatic power supply switching system to exchange the cathode tubes and the anode tubes, opening the pumping and drainage device connected to the anode tubes, and closing the pumping and drainage device connected to the cathode tube so that water is gathered toward the anode tubes and then drained; and H. switching the reversing valve at one end of the cathode tubes to a state in which the boosting device is connected to the pipelines, and activating the boosting device connected to the cathode tubes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method for consolidating soft clay by using the system for consolidating soft clay by combined anode boosting and electro-osmosis according to claim 11, characterized in that the vacuum preloading system further comprises a flocculant delivery device which is connected to a PLC and connected to the pipelines through the reversing valve; before the step E, the reversing valve is switched to a state in which the pipelines are connected to the flocculant delivery device, and the flocculant delivery device is then activated to deliver a flocculant to the cathode tubes and the anode tubes. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method for consolidating soft clay by using the system for consolidating soft clay by combined anode boosting and electro-osmosis according to claim 12, characterized in that the method comprises a step I after the step H; and, in the step I, the reversing valve is switched to a state in which the pipelines are connected to the flocculant delivery device, and the flocculant delivery device is activated to deliver the flocculant to the cathode tubes and the anode tubes; then, the reversing valve is switched to a state in which the pipelines are connected to the boosting device, and the boosting device is activated to push the flocculant into a deeper position in the soil; and finally, the reversing valve is switched to a state in which the pipelines are connected to the pumping and drainage device, and the pumping and drainage device is activated for pumping and drainage. ### Claim 14 (depends on 3) A method for consolidating soft clay by using the system for consolidating soft clay by combined anode boosting and electro-osmosis according to claim 3, comprising the following steps of: A. arranging anode tubes and cathode tubes in a vacuum preloading tank, connecting the anode tubes and the cathode tubes to a boosting device and a pumping and drainage device through the pipelines, and electrically connecting the anode tubes and the cathode tubes to a power supply through an automatic power supply switching system; B. feeding soft clay slurry into the vacuum preloading tank; C. covering sealing cloth over the soft clay slurry layer; D. switching a reversing valve to a state in which the pumping and drainage device is connected to the pipelines, and activating the pumping and drainage device connected to the cathode tubes and the anode tubes to preliminarily drain water; E. turning on the power supply to connect the cathode tubes and the anode tubes, opening the pumping and drainage device connected to the cathode tubes, and closing the pumping and drainage device connected to the anode tubes so that water is gathered toward the cathode tubes and then drained; F. switching the reversing valve at one end of the anode tubes to a state in which the boosting device is connected to the pipelines, and activating the boosting device connected to the anode tubes; G. activating the automatic power supply switching system to exchange the cathode tubes and the anode tubes, opening the pumping and drainage device connected to the anode tubes, and closing the pumping and drainage device connected to the cathode tube so that water is gathered toward the anode tubes and then drained; and H. switching the reversing valve at one end of the cathode tubes to a state in which the boosting device is connected to the pipelines, and activating the boosting device connected to the cathode tubes. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method for consolidating soft clay by using the system for consolidating soft clay by combined anode boosting and electro-osmosis according to claim 14, characterized in that the vacuum preloading system further comprises a flocculant delivery device which is connected to a PLC and connected to the pipelines through the reversing valve; before the step E, the reversing valve is switched to a state in which the pipelines are connected to the flocculant delivery device, and the flocculant delivery device is then activated to deliver a flocculant to the cathode tubes and the anode tubes. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method for consolidating soft clay by using the system for consolidating soft clay by combined anode boosting and electro-osmosis according to claim 15, characterized in that the method comprises a step I after the step H; and, in the step I, the reversing valve is switched to a state in which the pipelines are connected to the flocculant delivery device, and the flocculant delivery device is activated to deliver the flocculant to the cathode tubes and the anode tubes; then, the reversing valve is switched to a state in which the pipelines are connected to the boosting device, and the boosting device is activated to push the flocculant into a deeper position in the soil; and finally, the reversing valve is switched to a state in which the pipelines are connected to the pumping and drainage device, and the pumping and drainage device is activated for pumping and drainage.