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Ground improvement is a complex issue, and accurately predicting the consolidation and settlement of soft soil with prefabricated vertical drain (PVD) presents a significant challenge. Recent laboratory and field tests have highlighted the influence of the variable discharge capacity of PVD and the non‐Darcian flow behavior of soft soil on consolidation. However, existing theories have not yet considered these two factors simultaneously. To address this gap, a numerical solution for consolidation analysis incorporating non‐Darcian flow and variable discharge capacity of PVD was developed and applied in a test area. The results of this study demonstrate the significant impact of both non‐Darcian flow and variable discharge capacity on the consolidation rate. A comprehensive comparison between the findings of this numerical solution, the degenerate solution, and monitored data reveals clear differences. Notably, the non‐Darcian exponent (s) and discharge capacity parameters (A3) were found to exert a greater influence on consolidation behavior compared to other factors. These findings provide valuable guidance for the design and implementation of following airport ground improvement strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between flow speed and pore pressure gradient does not follow the classical Darcy's law for seepage within high-permeability and low-permeability media. Thus, considering the non-Darcian flow described by exponential relation in soft clay and Forchheimer equation in granular column, the governing equation for the axisymmetric model of composite ground is established. A finite-difference scheme with central and phantom nodes is used to obtain the numerical solution. Then, the effects of two kinds of non-Darcian flow and geometrical parameters on the consolidation behaviors are drawn from the parametric study. The consolidation rate of surrounding soil by considering the exponential flow is less than that of Darcian flow in the same case. The consolidation rate of the granular column calculated by the Forchheimer equation is less than that of Darcian flow. Moreover, increasing the area replacement ratio is recommended to reduce these effects of non-Darcian flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]