How energy is consumed in vacuum preloading treatment of soft ground?

The vacuum preloading method is commonly used to improve soft soils; however, it has rarely been studied from the perspective of energy consumption. The work done by the vacuum pump in the vacuum system can be consumed in various manners, including the seepage consolidation of soil, water discharge along prefabricated vertical drains and horizontal drainage system (i.e., the sand blanket or horizontal pipes), extraction of the air sealed in the drainage system, and air leakage from the atmosphere. Equations governing these aspects of energy consumption were derived in this study. A theoretical model of the energy consumption of the vacuum preloading method was established and then solved to quantify the specific forms of energy consumption. Theoretical predictions and laboratory results demonstrate that the energy consumptions of seepage consolidation and water discharge are negligibly small compared with the total work by the vacuum pump, and most of the work done by the vacuum pump in the vacuum system is consumed during the extraction of leaked-in air.