In engineering practice design parameters of drainage mats for consolidation method

such as drainage mat thickness

permeability coefficient

etc

are highly related to engineering experience. Silty sand is not recommended for drainage mat by engineering design specifications. Based on the prototype measurement of a certain reclamation project in Shanghai

characteristics of silty sand drainage mats of sea dike on muck foundation are studied via nonlinear FEM; and the impact of key factors on consolidation

such as mat permeability coefficient

mat thickness

mat length and relative permeability of body

etc

is further studied. On that basis

it is put forward that using transmissibillity coefficient of drainage mat as control parameter for design. Thus

the relating design formula for drainage mat

covering those factors

is presented accordingly; and it provides technical support for the design of drainage mat by using silty sand instead of medium sand or coarse sand. It is found that using silty sand to construct drainage mat is feasible in some project.