203

Improvement of Soil Properties, Bratislava on June 4-5, 2007

SOIL IMPROVEMENT WITH THE HELP OF IMPULSE-DISCHARGE

TECHNOLOGY
Valeriy Eremin, Aleksey Eremin, Aleksey Budanov
Impulse-Discharge Technology (IDT) was applied in Moscow since 1992 for the stabilization of the constructive properties of soil thanks to its deep compaction, through the
manufacturing of IDT piles and IDT soil anchors with high bearing resistance.
Over 65 000 IDT piles and more than 10 000 IDT soil anchors have been manufactured in Moscow according to the impulse-discharge technology in the last 15 years and more
than 500 structures built with them. They include the: Old Gostiny Dvor (a shopping arcade,
more than 10 000 IDT piles), high-rise buildings: at Vernadsky prospect 37 (h = 120 m),
Davydkovskaya St. 19a (h = 78m), Semenovskaya St. 21 (h = 112 m), dozens of residential
houses, factories, hundreds of reconstructed buildings and tens of kilometers of reinforced pit
walls.
The experience gained from using pulse discharging technology proves the high reliability of structures built with the help of this technology.
The hydrodynamic effect, which originates from an electric discharge in fluids, is the
basis for the impulse-discharge technologies.
It is known that the first electric discharges were produced under water more than 240
years ago. Neither the discoverers of this effect nor their followers could see its usefulness in
practice for almost two hundred years. The discovered effect was forgotten. Because of the
creation of powerful high-voltage electric installations (transformers, break switches etc.)
people once again confronted the electric discharges in fluids, which were used as dielectric
materials. The destructive effect arising from the electric breakdown of the dielectric fluids
and explosions of oil transformers, for example, an electric power substation failure in
Chagino when Moscow and its surroundings were left without electricity, have resulted, a stable opinion about the hazards of electric discharges in fluids. This opinion has lasted for many
decades among scientists and electrical engineers.
In 1948, the German physicist F. Frngel [1], after his evaluation of the low mechanical efficiency of an electric discharge in fluid, came to the conclusion that its application was
unpromising.
Despite this fact, L.A. Yutkin proposed in 1950 to use the electric discharges in fluids
in some technological processes, particularly the hydrodynamic impulses that occurred. The
creative process of high and ultra-high pressures was invented in such a manner [2]. Many
proposals of L.A. Yutkin for the application of the electrohydraulic effect, as it was called
by the author of more than 170 inventions, were in great demand. Dozens of laboratories and
scientific centers were created in the USSR, over 100 dissertations were defended during the
research work and many inventions discovered. The licenses for a number of them were sold
to Great Britain, Hungary, Germany, Spain, USA, Japan and other countries.
The first experiments with the applying of the impulse-discharge technology were started in
the Moscow Construction Engineering Institute (the priority of the MECI, dated June 5th,
1962, is fixed in the State Registration Book under No. 30166). Under the guidance of Doctor of Technical Sciences Professor G.M. Lomize, the postgraduate students Ya.D.
Eremin Valeriy, Candidate of Science, Eng. Eremin Aleksey, Budanov Aleksey, RITA firm, Russia, Moscow
ul. Vereyskaya 8, tel./fax 443-18-84, E-mail: info@rita.com.ru

204
Gilman (1963), L.P.Khlupina (1966) and L.A. Semushkina (1968) conducted research on water-saturated sandy soil compaction [3; 4; 5] (the dissertation defense year is shown in the parentheses).
Under the guidance of Doctor of Technical Sciences Professor Dalmatov B.I. at LECI,
G.N. Yassiyevich (1977) researched the manufacturing method of bored piles [6].
In order to expand the power capacity of CIG (Current Impulse Generator), voltages
of 30-100 kV were used. If one assumes that a capacitor bank is charged from zero up to U
voltage, then the middle charger voltage will come to 0.5U, and the quantity of the accumulated electricity to It(ac) = CU [1], then the energy accumulated in the capacitors can be defined according to the formula E = 0.5CU2. Where as, one can see that the energy accumulated in the capacitors lies in direct proportion to the efficiency of the batteries and is square
to the value of the charge voltage, this explains the attempts of the researchers to use very
high voltages. According to the safety rules, the presence of people was forbidden in an area
of 8-10 m, which was connected with some difficulties of the end use of IDT. The electrodes
failed at 2500 impulse discharges. In the capacitors the following dielectric fluids were used:
sovol, sovtol and trichlorbiphenil, which were the most toxic among the organochlorine insecticides. The equipment had great dimensions and weight. One of the first installations [3]
which was used for the ground stabilization had a mass of 8-9 tons. The transformer-rectifier
unit was mounted on a sledge, the capacitors unit on a double-axle trailer. The theoretically
accumulated electric energy was equal to 40 kJ, and less than 15 kJ were applied to the electrodes. The CIG used in [5], with the accumulated energy of 45 kJ, was placed on three trailers (two of them with 4 tons and one with a capacity of 6 tons).
During the fix-up of the first piles with IDT, no superplasticizing agents were used,
the channels of the steam-gas mixtures that appeared after the breakdown did not implode and
the following discharges were effected often not in the concrete mixture, but in the gas-filled
channels, the electric blasts were also unstable. The compaction of the concrete mixture was
irregular and the ground stabilization hardly noticeable.
That is why the impulse-discharge technologies were not applied because of technical
and technological causes in the construction. The main limiting factor was the prejudice of the
builders against the use of high voltage (up to 100 kV) on building sites, where the personnel
had to stay knee-deep in mud and water.
The modern CIGs with a mass under one ton and dimensions of 2100 x 750 x 1250(h)
accumulate electric energy up to 60 kJ and work safely from 6 to 8 years, generating hundreds
of thousands of impulse discharges. The three-phase CIGs are produced in batches, their firing speed is 2 to 2.5 times higher than the firing speed of the one-phase CIGs. The CIGs are
checked for their magnetic compatibility and certified by the Russian Gosstandart (conformity
certificate No. ROSS RU.ME25.C00753).
Special coaxial cables have been developed in order to transfer the current impulses
with 60 kJ each from 2 to 3 s with acceptable energy losses.
The electrodes remind the ignition plugs of the combustion engines, which are magnified many times. This plug has to carry impulse currents from 3-104 to 105 A, with the rate
of increase 1012 A/sec, the plasma temperature in the discharge channel, reaching from 10 to
30 microseconds after breakdown a value of 104 to 3104 K and the pressure of 108 to 6109
Pa, with an increase rate of 1018 to 1020 Pasec, creating an blast wave, which expands with
the speed of sound. The depth of the blast wave front amounts to approx. 5x10-9 m [7]. In the
new generations of the electrodes, materials are used which can withstand ten of thousands of
electric blasts with hard properties.
Let us review the process of the electric blast. The alternating current energy, present
at the construction site, with an industrial frequency and 380 V is converted into energy which
is better for the accumulation, therefore it is transferred to CIG, where the voltage is raised up

205
to 10 kV, converted to D.C. and is transferred to the accumulators capacitor unit. After the
condensing of the necessary energy (60 kJ) a commutator is actuated and the energy accumulated in CIG is transferred via a coaxial cable to the electrodes which are immersed in the
concrete mixture. The high density energy of 1013-1014 Jm-3 is created in the interelectrode
space. In 250 to 350 mcsec, the electric density of the concrete mixture cannot hold it any
more and breaks down an electric discharge appears. As was mentioned earlier, at the
breakdown moment the earlier accumulated energy is converted during 20 to 80 mcsec as if
by a blast into other types of energy. The conversion of the energy appears in an adiabatic
regime, creating a blast and a pressure wave of the expanding hollow space, which appears at
the breakdown point. The expanding space mainly provides only the mechanical replacement
of the concrete mixture which transmits the pressure impulse into the earth and, thanks to the
deformation of the latter an enlarged camouflet broadening is formed. In Fig. 1, we can see
the basic diagram of the earth stabilization using the impulse-discharge technology.

Figure 1. The essence of impulse-discharge technology for manufacturing IDT piles. 1. Pile bore after treatment; 2. Stem with electrodes; 3. CIG; 4. Concrete pump; 5. Cementation zone of the soil; 6. Compaction
zone of the soil.

In spite of big energy losses and very low efficiency which does not overcome 5 to 6%
(less than by a steam engine), the 15 years of the application of impulse-discharge technology
in geotechnical construction has proved its economic efficiency.
If in the technology development stage, only the IDT piles were produced and it was
not possible to use other types of piles, in the new millennium through further development
we began to manufacture IDT soil anchors and antideformational barriers, and the IDT-piles
defy the competition not only with the Raymond regulated injection and jacked piles, but also
with the bored and cast-in-place piles of great diameters and driven piles.
While controlling the electric blast parameters, it is possible to apply the impulsedischarge technology by reinforcing the foundations of landmarks. Research, conducted by
German specialists have proved that the dynamic loads by electric blasts do not rise over the
values which are permissible according. to DIN 4150-2 [8].
The camouflet broadenings which we find in the ground by IDT piles (see Figs. 2 and
3) and IDT anchors (Fig. 4) provide a very high resistance against alternating loads, eig., wind
loads on very high buildings by reinforcing the pit walls, etc.

206

Figure 2. The first IDT pile made in Germany and dug out according to the customers request for measuring and research.

Figure 3. The first IDT pile, made in Seoul and dug out according to the customers request for measuring and
research, has a strongly pronounced dumbbell shape.

Figure 4. Anchors roots after the impulse-discharge treatment.

Up on testing the IDT piles according to GOST 5686-94, their settling does not exceed
the allowable values, having at that a notable backup, the residual deformations are measured

207
with the first millimeters, which proves the work of the IDT piles soil system at the stage of
elastic deformations.
Research of the adjoining soils [8, 9] were made in order to find out the sources of the
high bearing capacity of the IDT piles.
The main tasks of the research were the following:
- The study of the composition of the sands before and after the impulse-discharge treatment.
- Drawing the quantitative evaluation of the physical and mechanical properties of the
sands before and after the impulse-discharge treatment.
The sand monoliths were taken according to the selection rules of the samples. The
samples were examined by means of grain-size, X-ray phase, microscopic and chemical analyses. By comparison of the massive outside and inside of the IDT affected zone, it has been
found that after the tests, and despite the insignificant effect, only 5 discharges with a 300 to
350 mm height interval, the loose sand was compacted to middle density. The soils became
more homogenous in density and porosity. The comparison of the physical and mechanical
properties before and after the impulse-discharge treatment by manufacturing the IDT piles
has shown that:
- the porosity factor was decreased 1.04 times (from 0.726 till 0.701);
- the humidity decreased 1.17 times;
- the density raised 1.02 times;
- the adhesion raised 3.5 times.
Calc.
Nos.

Object
nd

Piles
properties

tons

Settling after

Excess

under

unloading,

of NS,

load, mm

mm

times

8.39

3.21

1.2

Arbat 1, 2 exit hall of

d = 250 mm,

Sand clays with

L=8m

peat, clay

75

90

7.79

2.5

1.2

Mitino, mcr 8B, k. 2, sec. 1,

d = 300 mm

Fill-in, peat, sands

70

240

17.3

6.42

3.42

test area

L = 19 m

m. c. fill-in

foundation of 10 story

d = 250 mm

block, 1st house MO RF

L = 15.2 m

Pr-t Vernadskogo 37, piled

4

NS,
tons

Settling

metro station Arbatskaya

B. Znamenski per. 23, piled

3

Soil conditions

Load,

base of 19 story house

d = 300 mm
L = 18 m

Sands, m. dens.,

75

90

80

270

32.04

12.64

3.38

92

120

6.4

1.3

92

120

8.3

1.8

1.3

92

120

8.4

1.7

1.3

150

180*

15.11

5.73

1.2

sand clays, high

plasticity
Technogenic soil,
sand clays, fill-ins

Davydkovskaya St. 19-19a,

d = 300 mm

Sand m. den., fill-

piled base of 24 story house

L = 20 m

ins, s-h. clays etc.

150

180

8.93

1.88

1.2

150

234**

18.46

5.47

1.56

150

198

14.34

5.27

1.32

* Tests with press-in load of 180 tons in 15 days after concreting of the pile, concrete hardening in soil, temp. + 8 degrees C.
** By control load of 180 tons the IDT-pile had a settlement of 10.71 mm.

The researched sample collections are absolutely uniform in the mean square deviation
and coefficient of the variation.
The influence of the technogenic factors on construction-engineering properties of the
sands can theoretically be reflected in the granular, mineral and other characteristics of these
sediments. No clear changes in their parameters were discovered. The weak tendency of the
increase of density, strength and the essential decrease of humidity upon nearing the source of
the effect was recognized as the results of the test data. The bearing capacity and sand
strength after the testing increased overall, though insignificantly.

208
Unfortunately, it was impossible to determine the basic strain-stress distribution in the
massive under the conditions of the building site, its changes by the impulse-discharge treatment during the manufacturing of IDT piles as well as to research the soil in the zone of intensive influence, i.e. ,in the base zone of the pile.
To answer the question we tried to determine the stain-stress conditions of the soil
around the camouflet broadenings at the IDT piles, manufactured in a 2m diameter tray. A
detailed account about the tests and their results is given in [10]. The materials of these tests
allowed us to understand the physical nature of the effects in sand due to electric blasts and to
determine the influence of the energy on the changes of the physical and mechanical properties of the soil. In the energy range and the number of electric blasts under study, the ratio of
the compaction zones, deformations and zones, where the stress state of the soil changes, was
stated in accordance with the size of the presumptive camouflet cavity for each moment of
time, irrespective of the scale and number of electric blasts. The fact has allowed the use by
further testing of the theory of geometric similarity.
The density and strength of the loose sand and middle density sand increases by the
multiple repetition of the electric blasts, their deformability around the pile broadening with a
radius of 3.0 to 3.5 of the presumptive camouflet cavity to be formed decreases by
max
(3.0...3.5)Rukp
The energy accumulated in the capacitors corresponds to the uttermost compaction
grade to be achieved, and when it is achieved, the further compaction and changes of the initial strain-stress status of the soil becomes hardly perceptible. The doubling of the accumulated energy by the treatment of the loose sands results in an increase of the camouflet cavity
by 20%.
Conclusions:
A new and very effective impulse-discharge technology of earth stabilization at the
foundations of buildings and structures has been mastered.
References
1.

Frngel F. Impulse technique. Generating and applying of capacitor discharges. Translation from German, - M,-L.: Energiya Publishing house, 1965, 488 pp.
2. A.s. USSR 105011. Methods for creating high and super high pressures. Yutkin D.A., Goltsova A.I.,
priority from April 10th, 1950.
3. Gilman Ya. D. Stabilizing of water saturated soils with the help of electric discharges. M.: MISI, 1963,
dissertation of a Doctor tech. 249 pp.
4. Khlyupina L.P. Physical processes in sandy water saturated soils by high voltage discharges. M.:
MISI, 1966, dissertation of a Doctor tech. 184 pp.
5. Semushkina L.A. Experimental justification of the main technological process parameter during impulse achieved stabilization of water saturated soils by construction. M.: MISI, 1968, dissertation of a
Doctor tech. 219 pp.
6. Yassiyevich G.N. Research of fabrication method of GKN driven piles by means of electro hydraulic
effect and of their work under vertical applied loads. L.: LISI, 1977, dissertation of a Doctor tech.
225 pp.
7. Kuperstoch A.L. Hydrodynamic researches of medium flow during electric discharges in water: dissertation of a ph & tech. sciences doctor, Institute of Hydrodynamics named after I.A. Lavrentyev, Siberian filial, Novosibirsk, 1981 113 pp.
8. Research of the physical and mechanical properties of sands after their melioration with the method of
impulse-discharge treatment. Report. M.: MPK StroyMarket, 2002. 133 pp. (MPO RITA archive)
9. Ter-Martirosyan Z.G., Budanov A.A., Eremin V.Ya. About the raising of the bearing capacity of piles,
manufactured with the help of impulse-discharge technology. Informational Science and Technology
journal Building materials, equipment, technology of XXI century. 2004. No. 1 (60). 60-62.
10. Eremin V.Y., Budanov A.A., The deformability of sand soils by manufacturing of piles with the help of
impulse-discharge technology (IDT). Science and Technology journal Vestnik MGSU. 2006. No. 1.
150-164.