Abstract
Stone columns (or granular piles) are increasingly being used for ground improvement. This study investigates the qualitative and quantitative improvement in soft clay by stone columns. Finite element analyses were carried out to evaluate the performance of stone columns in soft clay. A drained analysis was carried out using Mohr–Coulomb’s criterion for soft clay, stones, and sand. The interface elements were used at the interface between the stone column and soft clay. Analyses and calculations were carried out to determine equivalent parameters of soil/columns system. The bearing capacity ratio (BCR) of the soil has been estimated for homogeneous and heterogeneous soil. The results have shown that the values of BCR for homogeneous soil are obviously higher than those for heterogeneous soil.
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Choobbasti, A.J., Zahmatkesh, A. & Noorzad, R. Performance of Stone Columns in Soft Clay: Numerical Evaluation. Geotech Geol Eng 29, 675–684 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-011-9409-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-011-9409-x