• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제32권6호
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• pp.567-581
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• 2023

Enhanced vertical load capacity of the ground reinforced with the stone columns drew great attention by the researchers as it deals with many of the geotechnical difficulties associated with the weak ground. Recently, it has been found that the stone columns are also prone to fail under the shear load when employed beneath the embankments or the foundations susceptible to lateral loads. In this study, the effect of various encasement conditions on the lateral deflection of stone columns is investigated. A method of dual layers of encasement has been introduced and its the effect on lateral load capacity of the stone columns has been compared with those of the single encased stone column and the un-encased stone columns. Large shear box tests were utilised to generate the shear deformation on the soil system under various normal pressure conditions. The stiffness of the soil-stone column combined system has been compared for various cases of encasement conditions with different diameters. When subjected to lateral deformation, the encased columns outperformed the un-encased stone columns installed in loose sand. Shear stress resistance is up to 1.7 times greater in dual-layered, encased columns than in unencased columns. Similarly, the secant modulus increases as the condition changes from an unencased stone column to single-layer encasement and then to dual-layer encasement, indicating an improvement in the overall soil-stone column system.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제56권4호
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• pp.507-534
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• 2015

The present work investigates the behavior of the embankment models resting on soft soil reinforced with ordinary and stone columns encased with geogrid. Model tests were performed with different spacing distances between stone columns and two lengths to diameter ratios (L/d) of the stone columns, in addition to different embankment heights. A total number of 42 model tests were carried out on a soil with undrianed shear strength $${\sim_\sim}10kPa$$. The models consist of stone columns embankment at s/d equal to 2.5, 3 and 4 with L/d ratio equal 5 and 8. Three embankment heights; 200 mm, 250 mm and 300 mm were tested for both tests of ordinary (OSC) and geogrid encased stone columns (ESC). Three earth pressure cells were used to measure directly the vertical effective stress on column at the top of the middle stone column under the center line of embankment and on the edge stone column for all models while the third cell was placed at the base of embankment between two columns to measure the vertical effective stress in soft soil directly. The performance of stone columns embankments relies upon the ability of the granular embankment material to arch over the 'gaps' between the stone columns spacing. The results showed that the ratio of the embankment height to the clear spacing between columns (h/s-d) is a key parameter. It is found that (h/s-d)<1.2 and 1.4 for OSC and ESC, respectively; (h is the embankment height, s is the spacing between columns and d is the diameter of stone columns), no effect of arching is pronounced, the settlement at the surface of the embankment is very large, and the stress acting on the subsoil is virtually unmodified from the nominal overburden stress. When $(h/s-d){\geq}2.2$ for OSC and ESC respectively, full arching will occur and minimum stress on subsoil between stone columns will act, so the range of critical embankment height will be 1.2 (h/sd) to 2.2 (h/s-d) for both OSC and ESC models.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제65권1호
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• pp.81-89
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• 2018

Stone column installation is a convenient method for improvement of soft ground. In very soft clays, in order to increase the lateral confinement of the stone columns, encasing the columns with high stiffness and creep resistant geosynthetics has proved to be a successful solution. This paper presents the results of three dimensional finite element analyses for evaluating improvement in behaviour of ordinary stone columns (OSCs) installed in soft clay by geotextile encasement under monotonic and cyclic loading by a comprehensive parametric study. The parameters include length and stiffness of encasement, types of stone columns (floating and end bearing), frictional angle and elastic modulus of stone column's material and diameter of stone columns. The results indicate that increasing the stiffness of encasement clearly enhances cyclic behaviour of geotextile encased stone columns (GESCs) in terms of reduction in residual settlement. Performance of GESCs is less sensitive to internal friction angle and elasticity modulus of column's materials in comparison with OSCs. Also, encasing at the top portion of stone column up to triple the diameter of column is found to be adequate in improving its residual settlement and at all loading cycles, end bearing columns provide much higher resistance than floating columns.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제12권3호
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• pp.417-439
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• 2017

The stone columns are increasingly being used as a soil improvement method for supporting a wide variety of structures (such as road embankment, buildings, storage tanks etc.) especially built on soft soil. Soil improvement by the stone column method overcomes the settlement problem and low stability. Nevertheless, stone column in very soft soils may not be functional due to insufficient lateral confinement. The required lateral confinement can be overcome by encasing the stone column with a suitable geosynthetic. Encasement of stone columns with geogrid is one of the ideal forms of improving the performance of stone columns. This paper presents the results of a series of experimental tests and numerical analysis to investigate the behavior of stone columns with and without geogrid encasement in soft clay deposits. A total of six small scale laboratory tests were carried out using circular footing with diameters of 0.05 m and 0.1 m. In addition, a well-known available software program called PLAXIS was used to numerical analysis, which was validated by the experimental tests. After good validation, detailed of parametric studies were performed. Different parameters such as bearing capacity of stone columns with and without geogrid encasement, stiffness of geogrid encasement, depth of encasement from ground level, diameter of stone columns, internal friction angle of crushed stone and lateral bulging of stone columns were analyzed. As a result of this study, stone column method can be used in the improvement of soft ground and clear development in the bearing capacity of the stone column occurs due to geogrid encasement. Moreover, the bearing capacity is effected from the diameter of the stone column, the angle of internal friction, rigidity of the encasement, and depth of encasement. Lateral bulging is minimized by geogrid encasement and effected from geogrid rigidity, depth of encasement and diameter of the stone column.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.305-318
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• 2020

Stone columns are widely used to treat soft clay ground. Optimizing the design of stone columns based on cost-effectiveness is always an attractive subject in the practice of ground treatment. In this paper, the design of stone columns is optimized using the concept of robust geotechnical design. Standard deviation of failure probability, which is a system response of concern of the stone column-reinforced foundation, is used as a measure of the design robustness due to the uncertainty in the coefficient of variation (COV) of the noise factors in practice. The failure probability of a stone column-reinforced foundation can be readily determined using Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) based on the settlements of the stone column-reinforced foundation, which are evaluated by a deterministic method. A framework based on the concept of robust geotechnical design is proposed for determining the most preferred design of stone columns considering multiple objectives including safety, cost and design robustness. This framework is illustrated with an example, a stone column-reinforced foundation under embankment loading. Based on the outcome of this study, the most preferred design of stone columns is obtained.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.133-148
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• 2014

An experimental study is carried out to evaluate the performance of Lime mortar-Well graded Soil (Lime-WS) columns for the improvement of soft soils. Tests are conducted on a column of 100 mm diameter and 600 mm length surrounded by soft soil in different area ratios. Experiments are performed either with the entire area loading to evaluate the load - settlement behavior of treated grounds and only a column area loading to find the limiting axial stress of the column. A series of tests are carried out in soaking condition to investigate the influence of moisture content on the load - settlement behavior of specimens. In order to compare the behavior of Lime-WS columns with Conventional Stone (CS) columns as well as Geogrid Encased Stone (GES) columns, the behavior of these columns have been also considered in the present study. Remarkable improvement in the behavior of soft soil is observed due to the installation of Lime-WS columns and the performance of these columns is significantly enhanced by increasing the area ratio. The results show that CS columns are not suitable as a soil improvement technique for extremely soft soils and should be enhanced by encasing the column or replaced by rigid stone columns.

• 한국철도학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국철도학회 2001년도 춘계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.443-450
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• 2001

This paper shows the reduction effect of tile earthquake-induced liquefaction potential of soils that improved by Vibro-Replacement Stone Columns. The Vibro-Replacement Stone Columns method transforms soft cohesive soils into a composite mass of compacted granular or crushed stone columns by using vibrating equipment and water jets. This study investigated and analyzed the behavior of the stone columns and composite ground using the results of in situ test and measurement at the job-site. This paper shows the evaluation of the earthquake-induced liquefaction potential of soils using in situ test. There are different types of in situ test used in the evaluation the liquefaction potential. In the particular study the Standard penetration test, and Cone penetration test were used. The N value of Standard Penetration test has been used all over for a very long time. The evaluation of the liquefaction of soil was performed using the worldwide renewed Cone penetration test

• 한국지반환경공학회 논문집
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• 제1권1호
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• pp.27-33
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• 2000

쇄석말뚝 공법은 다져진 자갈, 폐석, 쇄석 등을 이용하여 느슨한 사질지반이나 연약점성토 지반을 개량하는 공법으로 일반적으로 말뚝은 70%이상의 치환율로 실트질 점토에 시공되어 지지력을 증진시키는 공법이나 말뚝을 배수층으로 압밀에 의한 점성토의 지반의 강도 증가를 전제로 치환율을 30% 이하로 억제하는 저치환 공법의 효율에 관한 연구가 진행되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 쇄석말뚝의 치환율에 따른 단일 등가원주 모형 실험을 실시하여 쇄석말뚝이 연약지반의 압밀거동에 미치는 영향을 분석하였다. 실험결과 치환율의 증가에 따른 침하감소효과와 침하저감계수를 산정하였으며 복합지반의 압밀시간 단축을 확인하였다. 또한, 복합지반에 대한 이론식을 이용한 장기침하량 예측을 통해 보강지반의 침하억제 경향을 평가하고 베인전단시험을 통해 복합지반의 강도증가특성을 확인하였다.

• 한국지반공학회논문집
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• 제25권11호
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• pp.75-86
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• 2009

본 논문에서는 쇄석말뚝의 하중 지지력 향상을 위해 지오그리드를 이용하여 주면을 감싸는 일명 "지오그리드 보강 쇄석말뚝"의 하중지지특성에 관한 내용을 다루었다. 이를 위해 지오그리드 감쌈 쇄석말뚝의 근본적인 기능인 배수 효과와 지오그리드 보강 효과를 현실적으로 모사할 수 있는 3차원 응력-간극수압 수치해석 모델을 이용하여 재하하중에 대한 다양한 시공조건에 대한 매개변수 해석을 수행하고 그 결과를 분석하였다. 그 결과, 기존의 연구에서 발표된 성토 하중 조건에서 확인할 수 있었던 장기 하중지지력 향상 효과와 유사하게 재하하중 조건에서도 지지력이 현저히 향상하는 결과를 확인할 수 있어 지오그리드 보강 쇄석말뚝 공법은 연약지반 성토시 적용성 뿐만 아니라 구조물 기초로도 활용성을 확보할 수 있는 것으로 검토 되었다. 해석 결과는 지오그리드 보강 쇄석말뚝의 하중지지력과 영향 인자간의 관계 설정이 가능하도록 제시하였으며 현장적용성 측면에서의 고찰을 시도하였다.

• 한국지반공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국지반공학회 2009년도 춘계 학술발표회
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• pp.396-404
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• 2009

This paper presents the results of numerical investigation on support mechanism of geogrid-encased stone columns for use in soft ground. A number of cases were analyzed using a axial- and 3D stress-pore pressure coupled model that can effectively model construction sequence and drainage as well as reinforcing effects of geogrid-encased stone columns. The results indicated that the geogrid encasement tends to significantly improve the load carrying of a stone column. Also revealed was that such a confinement effect depends on encasement length and stiffness of geogrid. It is also shown that there exist critical encasement length and stiffness of geogrid for a given condition.