Laboratory tests have been carried out for simulating dredged-slurry treatment combining air-booster and conventional vacuum preloading methods. Settlement plate

micro pore water pressure transducer and miniature vane shearing instrument are adopted for monitoring the settlement

the pore pressure dissipation and the soil strength during the test. The test results demonstrate that the air-booster vacuum-preloading method can significantly improve the soil strength

pore-water pressure dissipation and settlement. In particular

the real-time responses of pore-water pressure during the air-pressurizing process have been obtained that

in combination with the numerical simulations

help derive the reinforcement mechanism of the air-booster vacuum preloading method

which involves using micro cracks generated by splitting soil between the booster tube and PVD using the pressurised air. Those cracks improve the soil permeability

and have lasting effect even after air pressuring ceased.