Vacuum preloading techniques for development and innovation of strengthening dredged soft ground: A review

Vacuum preloading technology is widely used for dredged soft grounds and has been widely promoted and applied in coastal countries. At present, the relationship between green, low-carbon, fast, and efficient vacuum preloading treatment technology and engineering quality is receiving increasing attention, and it promotes the deepening of theoretical refinement and functional diversification development of vacuum preloading technology, resulting in a large number of improved vacuum preloading technologies. This paper is based on the current research status, as well as the research results of the author and their research team, to summarize and analyze the reinforcement problem of conventional vacuum preloading technology. It reveals the clogging formation mechanism of prefabricated vertical drains in vacuum preloading and explores the improvement of vacuum preloading methods such as vacuum preloading combined surcharge preloading, vacuum preloading combined with electro-osmosis, air-boosted vacuum preloading, prefabricated radiation drain vacuum preloading, chemically assisted vacuum preloading, and thermal consolidation combined vacuum preloading. Based on the current development trend of dredged soft ground treatment technology, the development direction of vacuum preloading technology towards "greening", "intelligence" and "safety" is proposed, to provide reference and guidance for research and technical personnel in the field of vacuum preloading reinforcement of soft ground.