Performance evaluation of stone column installed soft ground- A parametric study with numerical investigation

Abstract

Installation of stone column is one of the effective solutions to improve the engineering properties of the soft ground. This paper investigates the performance of stone column treated ground beneath the embankment by using finite element method (FEM) using PLAXIS 2D. The consolidation effect of soft soil due to inclusions of stone columns has been addressed in this study. Numerical predictions are analyzed in terms of settlements, increments in vertical effective stresses, consolidation time and excess pore pressures. Firstly, the effectiveness of the use of stone column is studied. Afterwards, a parametric study has been performed to study the influence on height of the clay layer, height of the embankment fill, length variation in stone columns and the area replacement ratio. Furthermore, due to the installation of stone columns, improved effective stresses in the influence zone have been plotted.