Lateral Displacements in Soft Soil Due to Installation of Vibro-Stone Columns Using the Dry Method

Vibro-replacement stone columns installed using the dry method have been used to support embankments constructed on soft clay for a highway upgrade project in Australia. The main alignment of the upgraded highway is close to some existing structural piles. An estimate of the lateral soil displacements at the pile location was required to assess any impact on the piles prior to stone column installation. Therefore a field trial has been performed to assess the lateral displacement caused by the stone column installation at various distances from the centerline of the stone column. The measured displacements were then compared with the results from theoretical cavity expansion solutions. The results of the trial showed that the lateral displacements vary approximately inversely with distance from the column and that the magnitude of the displacements can be approximated using theoretical cavity expansion solutions.