To address high adhesion and frictional resistance in cohesive clay engineering, we propose a bio-inspired electro-osmotic friction-reduction approach mimicking earthworm surfaces, integrating cathode–anode electrodes on the same plate. Orthogonal experiments and multiple parallel material tests optimized key parameters (i.e., voltage, cathode–anode area ratio, cathode–anode electrode spacing, electrode material types) using plate-clay frictional resistance as the evaluation index. Copper-based conductive foam electrodes achieved a maximum 36.73% drag reduction rate, outperforming traditional electro-osmosis (21.82%). The optimal combination corresponding to the minimum plate-clay frictional resistance is as follows: the voltage is 11 V, the cathode–anode area ratio is 2:1, and the electrode spacing is 5 mm. Meanwhile, the critical threshold of clay moisture content for electro-osmotic water film formation and lubrication behavior is 83%. This research provides a novel friction reduction strategy and a scalable material selection approach for clay-rich construction scenarios in an economical manner.
Wen et al. (Wed,) studied this question.