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PVD and DCM columns combined ground improvement for embankment construction

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Abstract

Prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs) and deep cement mixing (DCM) columns combined ground improvement with a vacuum pressure for embankment construction on soft clay deposits has advantages, such as limiting embankment load induced deformation of adjacent areas and reducing total ground improvement cost. However, for design this kind of soft ground improvement, there are no methods for estimating amount of ground deformations as well as maximum tensile stress in the DCM columns. A series finite element analyses (FEA) were carried out to investigate the performance of embankments on combined PVD together with a vacuum pressure and DCM column improved soft deposit. Based on the results of FEA, explicit method for calculating ground settlement under the center of embankments, graphic methods for predicting maximum tensile stress in the column and maximum lateral displacement under the toe of embankments have been established. It is suggested that these methods can be useful tools for design this kind of combined soft ground improvement, and a working example has been demonstrated.

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Modified from Chai et al. [4])

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China with a grant number 51878514. Professor Wang from Wenzhou University, China, provided valuable suggestions during the preparation of this article.

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  1. Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saga University, Saga, Japan

    Junfeng Ni & Jinchun Chai

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  1. Junfeng Ni
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  2. Jinchun Chai
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Correspondence to Jinchun Chai.

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Ni, J., Chai, J. PVD and DCM columns combined ground improvement for embankment construction. Acta Geotech. 17, 3087–3098 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-021-01405-4

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