Use of Geocell Reinforced Load Transfer Platforms over Vertical Columns

Vertical columns are commonly used for the construction of embankments over soft soils to reduce the settlement and improve the stability of embankments. The vertical columns are designed to improve the bearing capacity of the soft soil and to transfer the load of the embankment through the soft compressible soil layer to a firm foundation. If the layer thickness above the columns is adequate the load are transferred to the columns due to mobilization of soil arching. Especially if the soil layer thickness above the columns is small different load transfer platforms (e.g. hydraulic bonded base layers) are often used to support the load transfer from the soft soil into the stiff columns. As an alternative to commonly uses load transfer platforms also geocell stabilized soil layers above the columns can be used. The paper describes the use of geocells as load transfer platform over vertical columns.