3D Numerical Analyses of Geosynthetic Encased Stone Columns

In very soft soils, the use of stone columns can be problematic due to the lack of adequate lateral confining pressure. In these situations, to provide the required lateral confining pressure and to increase their bearing capacity, stone columns can be encased by a suitable geosynthetic. Using a high-strength geosynthetic for confinement not only increases the strength of a stone column, but also prevents lateral squeezing of the column due to movement in the very soft surrounding soil. This paper describes 3D finite element analyses carried out to simulate the behavior of a single geosynthetic-encased stone column in a soft clay soil using the computer program ABAQUS. The influence of geosynthetic stiffness, column diameter, and the stiffness and friction angle of the column material were studied in the numerical analyses.