GROUND TREATMENT DESIGNS

 Surcharge Preloading
 Surcharge Preloading with Pre-
fabricated Vertical Drains
 Stone Columns
 Dynamic Compaction
H -e Relation

H
average vertical strain =
Ho
q kPa
GL q kPa
H
GL

Ho
saturated clay
saturated clay
e = eo
e = eo - e

Time = 0+ 2 Time = 
H -e Relation

Consider an element where Vs = 1 initially.

e
eo

Time = 0+ Time = 

e
average vertical strain =
1  eo
 H -e Relation
Equating the two expressions for average
vertical strain,

consolidation change in void ratio

settlement
H e

Ho 1  eo
initial void ratio
initial thickness of
clay layer

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 Consolidation Test

~ simulation of 1-D field consolidation in lab.

GL
porous stone

undisturbed soil
specimen metal ring
Dia = 50-75 mm (oedometer)
Height = 20-30 mm

field lab
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 Consolidation Test

loading in increments
allowing full consolidation before next increment

q1 q2
H1
H o eo eo- e1

H1
e1  (1  eo ) e2 
Ho

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Consolidation Test

unloading

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e – log v’ plot
- from the above data

loading
void ratio

v’ increases &

e decreases
unloading
v’ decreases &
e increases (swelling)

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log v’
Compression and recompression indices

Cr
1
void ratio

Cc ~ compression index

Cc

Cr ~ recompression index 1
(or swelling index)
Cr
1

log v’
 Preconsolidation pressure

is the maximum
vertical effective stress
the soil element has
ever been subjected
void ratio

to

p’ log v’

preconsolidation pressure
 Settlement computations

Two different ways to estimate the

consolidation settlement:
q kPa
(a) using mv
settlement = mv  H
=q
H
(b) using e-log v’ plot
next slide
eo, vo’, Cc, e
Cr, p’, mv settlement  H
-oedometer
test
1  eo
 Settlement computations
~ computing e using e-log v’ plot

If the clay is normally consolidated,

the entire loading path is along the VCL.

initial
eo

 vo '  '
e
e  Cc log
 vo '
vo’ vo’+ 
 Settlement computations
~ computing e using e-log v’ plot

If the clay is overconsolidated, and remains so by

the end of consolidation,
 vo '  '
e  Cr log
 vo '
initial
eo

e
note the use of Cr
VCL

vo’ vo’+ 
 Settlement computations
~ computing e using e-log v’ plot

If an overconsolidated clay becomes normally

consolidated by the end of consolidation,

 p'  vo '  '

e  Cr log  Cc log
initial
 vo '  p'
eo

e

VCL
vo’ p’ vo’+ 
Settlement Rate
GROUND IMPROVEMENT
PRE-LOADING &
PRE-FABRICATED VERTICAL
DRAINS
Pre-Loading Concept
Preloading
Preloading with Vertical Drains
Consolidation Rate with PVD
Stone Columns
Area Replacement Ratio
 Area replacement ratio

As is the area of stone column

Ac is the area of clayey ground
surrounding the pile
Stress Concentration Factor
Stress Concentration Factor

σs = stress in the stone column

σc = stress in surrounding cohesive soil
 Average Stress
Average stress over the unit cell area
corresponding to a given area replacement
ratio as
Settlement of Composite
ground
 Settlement Reduction Ratio

 R = St/So

St = Settlement of composite ground

So = Settlement of unimproved ground
Settlement Reduction of
Improved Ground
 Improved Shear Strength
Neglecting cohesion in granular material and stress concentration

where

One of the method

Dynamic Compaction
DYNAMIC COMPACTION
Dynamic Compaction
 Depth of Improvement = D

D = n x (W x H)1/2
Where w = weight of pounder (tons)
H = Drop Height (m)
n = empirical co-efficient (<1.0)
ENERGY APPLICATION
 Thank You
Overconsolidation ratio (OCR)

original
state
virgin consolidation line
eo

void ratio

vo’  p'
OCR 
 vo '

Field p’ log v’

vo’
Typical Detail of Prefabricated Vertical Drain
GEOMETRY

Tributary Area – approximated by an equivalent circular area

PVD Idealisation
 Coefficient of volume compressibility
~ denoted by mv

~ is the volumetric strain in a clay element per

unit increase in stress no units

V
change in volume

original volume
i.e.,
mv  V

kPa-1 or MPa-1 kPa or MPa
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