Deposit Columns Settlement For Free

A stone column is one of the soil stabilization methods that is used to increase strength, decrease the compressibility of soft and loose fine graded soils, accelerate a consolidation effect and reduce the liquefaction potential of soils.

Stone columns can be used to accelerate the consolidation of soft clay deposits through two mechanisms. First, the stone columns act as vertical drains that provide additional drainage path for excess pore water pressure to dissipate.

Stone columns are one of the best effective and feasible techniques for soft clay soil improvement. Stone columns increase the bearing capacity and reduce the settlement of soil. Finite element analyses were performed using the program PLAXIS 2D.

The stone column technique, also known as vibro-replacement or vibro-displacement, is a ground improvement process where vertical columns of compacted aggregate are formed through the soils to be improved. Stone columns, also known as granular piles, consist of stone aggregates compacted into a vertical hole.

Like most ground improvement techniques, stone columns are used to reduce settlement and increase load-bearing capacity. They also accelerate soil consolidation as a result of the drainage capacity of the granular material within the columns, which act as pore or water pressure evacuation points.

The preferred effective spacing between stone columns should be between 2 to 3 times the diameter of stone columns as too close a spacing i.e. less than 2 times the diameter is not feasible from construction point of view.

Stone columns typically range in diameter between 18 and 42 inches. When a vibratory probe is used to form the hole in which the stone column is constructed, the elements are referred to as vibro stone columns or vibratory stone columns.