ADVANCEMENTS IN GROUND

IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUE
Prepared by:-
 INTRODUCTION

 Ground improvement techniques are given the utmost importance in

present days to adapt weak ground/soil into the appropriate competent
stable ground for different applications.

 While it may not be immediately apparent, ground improvement methods

have made considerable advances since today’s commonly practiced
techniques began to develop in the 20th century however most techniques
have gone through changes.

 In this presentation some recent changes done in current methods or new

methods developed will be shown.
MECHANICAL IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES

 In this method soil density is increased by the application of mechanical force, including
compaction of surface layers by static vibratory such as compact roller and plate vibrators.
This technique is further classified as:-

 Dynamic Compaction
 Vibro-Compaction
 Compaction Grouting
 Pre loading and Pre-fabricated Vertical Drains
 Blast densification
DEVELOPMENT OF DYNAMIC COMPACTION

 This technique was invented and promoted by Louis Menard as early as 1969 but it was
not until 29 May 1970 that he officially patented his invention in France.

 Major innovation in dynamic compaction was the development of the Menard

Accelerated Release System (MARS) which is able to release the pounder from the lifting
device as the pseudo free fall commences.

 In this method Digital monitoring instruments are now able to record the coordinates of
the impact point, drop height, number of drops per point and impact velocity. This enables
the engineer to improve quality assurance and optimization of work parameters.

 This technique is most suitable for densification of loose granular soils.

 DEVELOPMENT OF VIBRO-COMPACTION

 Although the appearance of vibroflots have not changed much during the past seven
decades and most equipment would seem very similar to the untrained eye, today
specialist ground improvement companies manufacture vibro-probes with different
capabilities.

 Vibration frequencies are now closer to the soil’s natural frequency and the power range
of the plant allows specific uses of each machine.

 Vibro-compaction is successful in loose sand soils typically with an original SPT value of 5
to 10 near the surface and not applicable to clays.

 Relative density of up to 85% can be achieved.

 DEVELOPMENT OF COMPACTION GROUTING

 An alternative compaction grouting technique has also been proposed by Naudts and Van in
which geo-textile bags are used. In adopting this method, regular sleeve pipes are installed to the
required depth. Geo-textile bags are strapped straddling all or some of the sleeves.

 The geo-textile bags are inflated via a double packer with balanced, stable, low viscosity cement
based suspension grout with high resistance against pressure filtration. Several bags are inflated
at the same time. The inflation process is done in stages to allow the water to slowly filtrate
through the geo-textile bags.

 During each grouting stage the pressure is systematically increased. The spacing between the
grout pipes has to be such that the soils are subjected to vertical stresses in excess of those they
will eventually be subjected to. This in turn dictates the spacing between the grout pipes.
SOIL MODIFICATION BY PRE-FABRICATED VERTICAL DRAINS

 The process may be speed up by vertical sand drains/prefabricated vertical drains. These
drains are installed in order to accelerate settlement and gain in strength of soft cohesive
soil. Vertical drains accelerate primary consolidation only.

 As significant water movement is associated with it. Secondary consolidation causes

only very small amount of water to drain from soil; Secondary settlement is not speeded
up by vertical drains. Only relatively impermeable type of soil is benefited from vertical
drains. Soils which are more permeable will consolidate under surcharge.

 Vertical drains are effective where a clay deposit contain many horizontal sand or silt
lenses
SOIL MODIFICATION BY BLAST DENSIFICATION

 Blast-densification is a ground improvement technique for densifying loose, relatively

clean, cohesion less soils. It increases the density of loose granular deposits, above or
below the water table. The explosive wave temporarily liquefies the soil, causing the soil
particles to rearrange to a higher relative density as excess pore pressure dissipates. It has
been used to treat soils to depths of up to 40m.

 The method has also been called explosive compaction. The development and application
of this method up to the early 80s were summarized by Mitchell (1981). Explosive
compaction has the advantage of low cost and ease of treating large depths. However, the
method has not been widely accepted mainly because it is still based on experience rather
than theory.

 Some field studies (Charlie et al 1992; Gandhi et al. 1998; Gohl et al. 1998; 2000) have been
carried out in order to understand better the blasting process. Theoretical analyses and
numerical modelling using cavity expansion theories and blasting mechanics have also
been done (Henrch 1979; Wu 1995; Van Court and Mitchell 1995; Gohl ,1998) to improve
the design and analysis.
 In recent years, explosive compaction has also been applied to the mining sector to shake
down tailings ponds for tailings consisting of essentially non-plastic silt and sand-size
particles.

 In this way, the volume of the existing tailings is reduced, which increases the storage
capacity of the tailings impoundment and minimizes the need to raise the crest elevation
of the tailings containment dike. The soil types treated by the explosive compaction
method range from silt tailings to gravel cobbles and boulders.
 HYDRAULIC IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES

 The modification of soil properties are achieved by forcing the free pore water out
of soil via drains or wells. In case of course grained soils it is achieved by lowering
the ground water level through pumping .
Some of the hydraulic modification method is :-
a. Preloading using fill
b. Preloading using fill with vertical drain
c. Vacuum preloading with vertical drains
d. Combined fill and vacuum preloading
 A. PRELOADING USING FILL

 Preloading is a process to apply surcharge load on to the ground prior to the placement of structure
or external loads to consolidate the soil until most of the primary settlement has occurred so as to
increase the bearing capacity and reduce the compressibility of weak ground.
 The temporary surcharge applied on the ground is generally more than the expected bearing
[Link] is more effective for soft cohesive ground.
 B. PRELOADING USING FILL WITH
VERTICAL DRAIN
 The method is the same as described earlier, except that vertical drains are used to provide radial
drainage and accelerate the rate of consolidation by reducing the drainage paths thus accelerate
the process of settlement in order to and gain in strength of soft cohesive soil. Vertical drains
accelerate primary consolidation only.

 As significant water movement is associated with it. Secondary consolidation causes only very
small amount of water to drain from soil. Secondary settlement is not speeded up by vertical drains.

 The method of preloading using fill has been used for many years in the past and has been
considered one of the mature soil improvement methods. Major progress in this method has been
made since PVDs were introduced as part of the preloading techniques.
 VERTICAL DRAINS

• Vertical Drains may not work

sometimes alone due to thick
uniform soft clay layer.

• So the time of precompression is

very long and surcharge will be
very high for reasonable waiting
period .
 C. VACUUM PRELOADING WITH VERTICAL
DRAINS
 The vacuum preloading method has evolved into a mature and efficient technique for the
treatment of soft clay.
 This method has been successfully used for many soil improvement or land reclamation projects
all over the world.
 The vacuum preloading was required because clay slurry was used for reclamation due to a
shortage of granular fill materials there.
 In adopting this technique, sand drains (in the past) and prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs) were
used to distribute the vacuum pressure and discharge pore water.
 In theory, a vacuum load of 90 kPa can be applied. However, in practice, the real vacuum pressure
applied is normally lower than this.
 D. COMBINED FILL AND VACUUM
PRELOADING
 This method is a combination of what have been described in B & C when a surcharge more than the
vacuum pressure is required. The method is applicable to ground consists of mainly saturated soils
having low permeability.
 The method can be used when there is a stability problem with fill surcharge. This method can also
be used to extract polluted ground pore water if required.
 When surcharge higher than the maximum value that the vacuum pressure can provide a combined
vacuum and fill surcharge can be applied. In this case, the fill surcharge is applied after the ground
has been consolidated to gain adequate strength.
 As the fill surcharge generates excessive pore-water pressure higher than the hydrostatic or initial
insitu pore-water pressure, the vacuum pressure applied may expedite the dissipation of excess
pore-water pressure and make the combined fill and vacuum preloading method more effective
than using vacuum or fill surcharge alone for the same amount of total surcharge.
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