Stress Zones near Displacement Piers: II. Radial Cracking and Wedging

Transient liquefaction of saturated soils near Rammed Aggregate Piers is described in Part I on the basis of radial stress measurements. This is supported by dynamic pore-water pressure measurements, as peak pore pressures approximately equal radial stresses imposed at the pier surface by ramming. Stress measurements outside of the liquefied/plastic zone indicate radial tension cracking in the elastic zone, which is consistent with the observation that pore pressures abruptly drop and momentarily can even become negative as soon as ramming stops. The drainage field created by extended radial cracking and hydraulic fracturing allows Rammed Aggregate Piers to be effective in saturated, fine-grained soils where other dynamic methods are reported to be less effective. Stress measurements indicate that liquefied soil injected into open tension cracks causes stress to be retained in the elastic zone through arching action. A stress path analysis indicates that lateral stress may play an important role in control of foundation settlement, by simulating an increase in the preconsolidation pressure without vertically surcharging the soil or waiting for it to consolidate.