In this study

laboratory tests of the air-booster vacuum preloading method with different air-boosting depths were performed on the Tianjin dredged slurry of high water content. The law of gas migration in soil was used to analyze the reinforcement mechanism and the reinforcement factors. Test results show that the drainage

settlement

dissipation of excess pore water pressure as well as the vane shear strength were significantly improved when air boosting is operated on the lower part of drainage board. In the initial stage of consolidation of the fluid-plastic soil

the injected gas is easy to form bubbles and to move upwards rapidly under the action of buoyancy

which drives the deep soil particles to move upwards and disturbs the soil like stirring

so that the dredged slurry was reinforced more uniformly; while as water content of the dredged slurry gradually decreased

the gas in soil would form a closed space with a certain pressure

leading to increased pressure between the plastic vertical drain and the gas injection pipe; in the later stage of consolidation

the gas expanded in soil

which forms micro-fracture cracks to accelerate the water dissipation in the soil and improves the drainage reinforcement effect.