Bearing Capacity of Annulus Stone Column Double-Encapsulated with Geotextiles
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 23, Issue 2
Abstract
The behavior of annulus stone columns in soft clays is significantly influenced by the outer-to-inner diameter ratio. For this reason, in the present study, a comprehensive experimental investigation program was undertaken in the laboratory on a soft clay from Warangal, India, by varying its water content for achieving different undrained shear strength values and to determine the load-carrying capacity of conventional and annulus stone columns with different outer-to-inner diameter ratios that were double-encapsulated with geotextile. Investigations were also extended to determine the optimum L/D ratio and spacing between the groups of annulus stone columns. Based on these studies, a theoretical framework is developed for interpreting and determining the load-carrying capacity of the stone columns. The studies presented in this paper offer a novel ground improvement technique to enhance the load-carrying capacity of soft soils.
Practical Applications
Conventional in situ pile foundations and stone columns have been extensively used in geotechnical engineering to support widespread loads arising from infrastructure, such as oil storage tanks and embankments on soft soils. However, stone columns typically fail, due to bulging action. Therefore, the geotechnical engineering community uses pile foundations to alleviate failures and support widespread loads on soft soils. However, a significant decrease in the cost of the project and carbon footprint is realized when stone columns replace conventional pile foundations. Therefore, the proposed geosynthetic double-encapsulated annulus stone columns with enhanced confining resistance could be a suitable replacement for conventional stone columns and pile foundations to support widespread loads. The results presented in this paper show a significant reduction in bulging when the conventional stone columns are replaced with annulus stone columns. However, the installation technique adopted in the model tests differs from those in the field. Full-scale field testing of the proposed technique is required to understand the strengths and limitations of the proposed design approach.
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Acknowledgments
This work was financially supported by Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), a statutory body of Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, under Grant No. TAR/2019/000274. The financial supports are gratefully acknowledged.
Notation
The following symbols are used in this paper:
- Ag
- area of ground;
- Ar
- area replacement ratio;
- Asc
- area of stone column;
- B
- diameter of footing;
- cu
- undrained shear strength of the soft soil;
- D
- effective diameter of stone column;
- Di
- inner diameter of annulus stone column;
- Do
- outer diameter of annulus stone column;
- G
- modulus of rigidity;
- J
- polar moment of inertia;
- K
- stiffness of the stone column;
- Ko
- average coefficient of lateral earth pressure;
- L
- length of the stone column;
- n
- stress concentration factor;
- pc
- stress exerted by geotextile;
- qrg
- bearing pressure of reinforced ground;
- qsafe
- safe bearing pressure of the soil;
- qug
- bearing pressure of unreinforced ground;
- R
- ratio of outer-to-inner diameter of annulus stone column;
- rd
- deformed radius of stone column;
- ro
- original radius of stone column;
- S
- spacing of column group;
- s
- settlement;
- u
- pore pressure;
- x
- outer-to-inner diameter ratio of annulus stone column;
- β
- settlement reduction ratio;
- Δp
- pressure acting on the geosynthetic material;
- angle of internal friction of the column material;
- ɛa
- axial strain;
- ɛc
- hoop strain;
- γ
- effective unit weight of soil;
- θ
- angle of twist;
- σc
- stress in stone column;
- σro
- increase in radial stress due to the surcharge load;
- σro
- effective radial stress;
- σro
- in-situ lateral stress;
- σs
- axial stress in the surrounding soil;
- σv
- maximum effective vertical stress acting on the column;
- ultimate axial stress;
- σvo
- initial effective vertical stress; and
- τs
- tensile strength of geotextile.
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Information
Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 23 • Issue 2 • February 2023
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 14, 2022
Accepted: Sep 21, 2022
Published online: Nov 22, 2022
Published in print: Feb 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Apr 22, 2023
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Clays
- Engineering fundamentals
- Foundation design
- Foundations
- Geology
- Geomaterials
- Geomechanics
- Geosynthetics
- Geotechnical engineering
- Laboratory tests
- Load bearing capacity
- Material mechanics
- Material properties
- Materials engineering
- Rocks
- Shear strength
- Soft soils
- Soil mechanics
- Soil properties
- Soil strength
- Soils (by type)
- Strength of materials
- Tests (by type)
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