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Improvement of Soft Clays by Combined Vacuum Consolidation and Geosynthetic Encased Stone Columns

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Abstract

The use of stone columns is one of the proven ground improvement techniques for improving the load carrying capacity of soft clay deposits. When the stone columns are installed in soft clays, there is a possibility of intrusion of fine clay particles into the column which reduces the shear strength of the stones resulting in reduction in capacity. Geosynthetic encasement has been adopted by several investigators in order to enhance the load carrying capacity. The capacity of the stone column may be further increased if the undrained shear strength of the surrounding soft soil is improved. In the present study, the possibility of applying the vacuum through encased stone column for improving the strength of soft clay soil is explored through laboratory model tests. It was observed that both stiffness and load carrying capacity of the column increased significantly after the application of vacuum suggesting that the proposed method is a viable ground improvement option.

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Acknowledgments

This investigation was performed as part of a research project supported by the Department of Science and Technology of Government of India under sanction number SR/S3/MERC/065/2007, dt. 19-03-2009. The authors are grateful for the financial support to this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geotechnical Engineering Division, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India

    S. Ganesh Kumar, R. G. Robinson & K. Rajagopal

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  1. S. Ganesh Kumar
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  2. R. G. Robinson
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  3. K. Rajagopal
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Correspondence to R. G. Robinson.

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Kumar, S.G., Robinson, R.G. & Rajagopal, K. Improvement of Soft Clays by Combined Vacuum Consolidation and Geosynthetic Encased Stone Columns. Indian Geotech J 44, 59–67 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40098-013-0067-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40098-013-0067-1

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