Ground Improvement Techniques
Ground Improvement Techniques
Ground Improvement Techniques
techniques
Why do we need ground improvement
• Type of soils
– Max dry unit weight & optimum moisture
content can be affected by:
• Grain-size distribution of soil
• Shape & specific gravity of solids
• Type & amount of clay minerals present
– Max dry unit weight can range from
9.42 kN/m3 for organic soils to about
22.78 kN/m3 for well-graded granular material
Factors affecting compaction of soil
more random
particle orientation
higher hydraulic
conductivity
Effect of compaction on hydraulic
conductivity of clayey soil
Effect of compaction on one-dimensional
compressibility of clayey soil
• Determination of the
Number of Drops
Poran and Rodriguez (1992)
• Determination of spacing
Dynamic Compaction
stress concentration
due to change in
stiffness
Stone
columns in a
triangular
pattern;
• For an equilateral triangular pattern of stone columns
• stress concentration factor
• Mitchell (1981)
If a surcharge , is applied
midplane
degree of consolidation
• If , increment in the fill pressure is known,
• Time taken to achieve the settlement
•
• For a specified value of t2 , required load increment can be
calculated.
Vertical drains
Sand drains
• Sand drains are constructed by drilling holes through the clay layer(s)
in the field at regular intervals and the holes are then back filled with
sand.
• a surcharge is applied at the ground surface.
• The excess pore water pressure created by loading will be dissipated
by the drainage ( vertically and radially)
Other vertical drains
• Solution,
Relationships between average degree of
consolidation and time factor
• Vertical and horizontal drainage,
• Solution,
Relationships between average degree of
consolidation and time factor for radial drainage.
Degree of consolidation under combined
vertical and radial drainage
• Installation effects - The values of the soil properties for the soil
immediately surrounding the drains may be significantly reduced due
to remoulding during installation. This is called smear effect
• This can be taken into account by reducing the horizontal coefficient
of consolidation or by reducing values of drain diameter
Example