Proceedings of the Institution of

Civil Engineers
Ground Improvement 161
November 2008 Issue GI4
Pages 199–206
doi: 10.1680/grim.2008.161.4.199

Paper 700040
Received 18/10/2007
Accepted 23/10/2008
Keywords: foundations/
geotechnical engineering/piles &
piling
Bhyravajjula Phanikumar
Professor of Civil Engineering,
Vellore Institute of
Technology, Vellore,
Tamilnadu, India
Ajjarapu Srirama Rao
Professor of Civil Engineering,
JNTU College of Engineering,
Kakinada, India
Kanduru Suresh
Research Associate,
Department of Civil
Engineering, JNTU College of
Engineering, Kakinada, India

Field behaviour of granular pile-anchors in expansive soils

B. R. Phanikumar PhD, A. Srirama Rao PhD and K. Suresh MTech

Different innovative foundation techniques have been
suggested for controlling the detrimental volume change
behaviour of expansive soils. The efficacy of a recent
innovation in the form of granular pile-anchors in
controlling heave of expansive clay beds and improving
the engineering behaviour of the ambient soil has also
been reported, based on results obtained from
laboratory model tests. Before suggesting granular pile-
anchor foundations for installation in field practices,
however, an in situ study of the behaviour of granular
pile-anchors is also required as a support to the
laboratory study. This paper describes an extensive field
study of the behaviour of granular pile-anchor
foundations of expansive clay beds. The field study was
performed to study the rate of heave, reduction of heave
and variation of heave with radial distance and with
depth. Heave was found to be reduced by about 90%
upon installation of granular pile-anchors. Final heave
was reached in just about half the time required for final
heave in the case of an unreinforced expansive clay bed.
Improvement in the engineering behaviour of the
ambient clay was studied through Proctor needle
penetration tests and unconfined compression tests. It
was found that a maximum increase of about 120% was
observed in penetration resistance in the case of
expansive clay beds reinforced with granular pile-
anchors.
1. INTRODUCTION
The problems with expansive soils have been documented all
over the world. They undergo detrimental volume changes
corresponding to changes in the moisture regime. They absorb
water during monsoons and swell or increase in their volume,
and shrink because of evaporation of water in dry seasons. 1,2
Moreover, upon wetting during monsoon, an expansive soil
either swells or exhibits collapse compression depending upon
its stress and suction history. 3–6 The alternate swelling and
shrinkage of expansive soils during monsoon and summer
cause distress in lightly loaded civil engineering structures
founded in them such as foundations, pavements, canal beds
and linings, and residential buildings. The annual cost of
damage to civil engineering structures is estimated at
£150 million in the UK, US$1000 million in the USA, and
many billion of pounds worldwide. 7
Of various innovative foundation techniques suggested for
mitigating the problematic swell–shrink behaviour of
expansive clays, sand cushions, 8 a cohesive non-swelling
layer, 9 under-reamed piles, 10 belled piers, friction piers,
physical alteration and chemical stabilisation have been in
regular practice in situ.1 Another innovative foundation
technique was recently suggested in the form of a granular
pile-anchor foundation (GPAF) system for reducing heave
behaviour and improving the engineering behaviour of
expansive clay beds. 11,12 The efficacy of GPAF was based on
the results of a laboratory-scale model study carried out on
expansive clay beds reinforced with granular pile-anchors
(GPAs).
1.1. Philosophy of GPAF system
In GPAF the foundation is anchored at the bottom of the
granular pile to an anchor plate through an anchor rod to resist
the uplift force caused on the foundation by the swelling soil.
The anchor present in the granular pile makes it tension-
resistant. Fig. 1 shows the concept of GPAs and the various
forces acting in the system of GPA foundation. The uplift force,
Pu , is due to the mobilised swelling pressure, ps . The results of
the laboratory test programme showed that heave of expansive
clay beds decreased by nearly 96% and the rate of development
of final heave improved. The results also showed that the
engineering behaviour of the ambient expansive clay was
enhanced upon being reinforced with GPAs. The shear strength
of the clay surrounding the granular pile and the compressive
load response of the expansive clay bed also showed
improvement. 12
Conventional granular piles are one of the ground
improvement techniques that can be used to improve the
engineering behaviour of soft clays. 13–21 However, a mere
granular pile is not effective in counteracting swelling pressure.
If an anchor is provided within a granular pile, it becomes a
‘tension-resistant granular pile-anchor’ and can resist the uplift
pressure due to swelling.
In a granular pile-anchor, the resistance to uplift (PR ) is
developed mainly due to
(a) the weight of the granular pile (Wgp )
(b) the uplift resistance due to friction mobilised along the
pile–soil interface
(c) the lateral swelling pressure (Ks ps ), which confines the

Ground Improvement 161 Issue GI4 Field behaviour of granular pile-anchors in expansive soils Phanikumar et al. 199

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 between 6 and 10 mm and
that of coarse sand between
2.4 and 4.8 mm. Pilot studies
Footing
indicated that, at this
Df proportion of 20 : 80, the
granular material could be
compacted over a wide range
Uplift force (Pu) due to swelling of relative density values. It
pressure on the foundation (ps) should, however, be
Anchor rod mentioned here that all the
Resistance to uplift (PR)
granular piles in the test
Granular pile-anchor programme were compacted
lgp
Wgp at a relative density of 70%.

Lateral swelling pressure (Ks ps) 2.2. Variables studied

In all the tests the expansive
clay beds were compacted at
placement water content of
Anchor plate 15% and dry unit weight of
14 kN/m3 . The thickness of
Dgp the expansive clay beds was
fixed at 1000 mm. The length
Fig. 1. Concept of granular pile-anchor and forces acting on a granular pile-anchor of the granular pile-anchor
(lgp ) was varied, taking values
of 500, 750 and 1000 mm.
granular pile-anchor radially and prevents it from being For each length, the diameter of the GPAs (dgp ) was varied,
uplifted. taking values of 100, 150 and 200 mm. Hence, the range of the
length-to-diameter ratio (lgp /dgp ) of the GPAs varied from 2.5
These forces counteract uplift of the foundation and preclude to 10 (Table 2).
the possibility of detrimental heave (Fig. 1).

Naturally available stone and coarse sand were used for the Specific gravity 2.65
installation of granular piles. The results of the model studies
indicated the efficacy of GPAs as an effective foundation Sand: % 2
technique in expansive clays. However, to establish GPAs as an Silt: % 37
efficacious in situ technique, full-scale tests need to be Clay: % 61
conducted in the field in expansive clay beds. This paper Liquid limit: % 86
describes an extensive field test programme performed in Plastic limit: % 32
Plasticity index: % 54
expansive clay beds reinforced with full-scale GPAs. Free swell index, FSI: % 180
USCS classification CH
2. FIELD TEST PROGRAMME
An extensive test programme was conducted in situ with the Table 1. Index properties of the expansive soil
aim of establishing the efficacy of GPAs in expansive clay
beds. The amount of heave and rate of heave were investigated
in the case of both unreinforced expansive clay beds and clay
beds reinforced with GPAs. 15

2.1. Test materials

Maximum dry density: kN/m3

14
2.1.1. Expansive soil. The expansive soil used in this
investigation was collected at a depth of 1.5 m below the
ground level in Amalapuram, Andhra Pradesh, India. The soil 13
was a highly swelling soil with a free swell index (FSI) of
180%. It was a CH soil per USCS classificaion. Table 1 shows
the index properties of the expansive soil. Fig. 2 shows the 12
Proctor compaction curve of the soil. The maximum dry unit
weight was 14 kN/m3 and the optimum moisture content (OMC)
was 27%. 11
18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34
Moisture content: %
2.1.2. Granular material. The granular material used for the
installation of granular piles was a blend of 20% stone chips Fig. 2. Proctor compaction curve
and 80% coarse sand. The particle size of the stone chips varied

200 Ground Improvement 161 Issue GI4 Field behaviour of granular pile-anchors in expansive soils Phanikumar et al.

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 Diameter of the pile Length of the pile (lgp ): mm
(dgp ): mm
500 750 1000
100 5 7.5 10
150 3.33 5 6.67
200 2.5 3.75 5
Table 2. The lgp /dgp ratios of granular pile-anchors
2.3. Compaction of clay beds and installation of GPAs
Full-scale test pits were made in the field for conducting the
tests. The pits were filled with expansive clay. The soil was air-
dried until a uniform water content of 8% was achieved and
then pulverised. Soil clods greater than 20 mm in size were
removed. The plan of the test area, which was 5 m 3 5 m, is
shown in Fig. 3. The test area was divided into four sections
and the test details are also shown in the figure. The placement
dry unit weight and water content were 14 kN/m3 and 15%,
respectively, these values having been chosen for convenient
compaction.
The relative density of the GPAs was fixed at 70% in all the
tests. To achieve a uniform distribution of water, the soil was
uniformly spread on platforms and water was sprinkled on it.
Then it was thoroughly mixed using spades. After mixing, the
water content was checked by taking different samples from
the wet soil. It was found that the oven-dry water content was
nearly constant at 15% in all the samples. The wet soil was
transferred to the test sections, which were in the form of
square test pits. The soil was compacted in the test pits in
layers, each of which was 50 mm thick. The weight of soil,
required for compaction for each layer to give a density of
14 kN/m3 , was predetermined. The process of compaction was
continued until the clay bed reached the required height in the
case of unreinforced expansive clay bed.
In the case of a clay bed reinforced with a GPA, however, a
casing pipe of diameter equal to that of the pile-anchor was
Reinforced
Unreinforced expansive clay
expansive clay bed: bed:
placed vertically at the centre of the pit. Concrete was poured
into the casing pipe so as to form a 1 in. thick concrete bed. A
mild steel rod of diameter 200 mm with a mild steel circular
plate of diameter equal to that of the granular pile-anchor
fastened to it was inserted vertically into the casing pipe so
that the plate rested on the concrete bed. Concrete was again
poured on the top of the plate to form a 1 in. thick concrete
bed on top, also so that the anchor plate was embedded in
concrete. The anchor rod was also covered with concrete by
pouring concrete into a small casing pipe of diameter 30 mm
placed such that it surrounded the anchor rod. Thus, the anchor
rod and the anchor plate were protected from rusting. They
were also rendered stable and intact by embedding in concrete.
The weight of the expansive soil required to prepare the clay
bed in the pit was taken and divided into a convenient number
of equal parts, each part having to be compacted in a layer
50 mm thick. This ensured that the desired unit weight was
attained for the expansive clay bed. Each part of the soil was
carefully poured into the pit and compacted with a rammer.
The height of each compacted layer was checked. Similarly the
weight of the granular pile material required for a relative
density of 70% was also divided into equal parts, each part
having to be compacted to the required height of 50 mm,
ensuring a uniform relative density in each layer. The granular
material was compacted with a poking rod. After compacting
the expansive clay layer around the casing pipe to a height of
100 mm, a proportion of the pile material was poured into the
casing pipe. The casing pipe was slowly withdrawn while the
process of compaction continued. The process of compaction of
the expansive clay bed and granular pile was continued until
the clay bed and granular pile were compacted to the desired
unit weight and each attained the same height at the end. A
thin sand layer, 10 mm thick, was laid such that the surface
footing plate could rest on it evenly. The surface footing plate
was fastened to the top end of the mild steel anchor rod.
The diameter of the footing plate was varied, taking values of
250, 375 and 500 mm respectively for GPAs of size 100, 150
and 200 mm. Thus, the ratio of diameter of the footing plate to
the diameter of GPA was kept constant at 2.5. After
compaction, the clay bed was inundated with water poured
constantly from the top. At the top of the clay bed, heave was
noted using three dial gauges with their spindles resting on the
footing plate. The series of tests described in the following
sections were performed.

1m⫻1m⫻1m 100 mm diameter

pile-anchor
2.4. Heave tests
Heave tests were performed to study the rate and amount of
heave of unreinforced and reinforced expansive clay beds with
a view to assessing the improvement in the case of expansive
clay beds reinforced with granular pile-anchors. Variation of
heave with depth from the top of the clay bed was studied in
Reinforced Reinforced
both reinforced and unreinforced cases. Similarly, the variation
expansive expansive clay
clay bed: bed: of the amount of heave with radial distance from the centre of
the granular pile-anchor was also studied. The expansive clay
150 mm diameter 200 mm diameter bed reinforced with GPAF was inundated by adding water
pile-anchor pile-anchor continuously. Heave was continuously monitored up to the
point of saturation of the expansive clay bed. The amount of
heave at saturation is the final heave value. Saturation was
Fig. 3. Plan of the test area reached when there was no further heave of the expansive clay
bed reinforced with the GPAF system. Saturation was

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 confirmed through a graph of heave plotted against time when
the curve became asymptotic with the time axis, and
equilibrium was assumed attained. Heave was also determined
at different radial distances from the centre of the granular
pile-anchor.
2.5. Strength tests
To determine the undrained shear strength, cu , of the
expansive clay, unconfined compression tests were conducted
on cylindrical samples obtained from depths of 25, 50 and
75 mm from the top of the saturated expansive clay bed in
both the reinforced and the unreinforced conditions.
Penetration tests were also conducted on the expansive clay
bed in both reinforced and unreinforced conditions. In
penetration tests, a Proctor needle, to which a shoe of diameter
20 mm was attached, was kept vertically on the clay bed and
pushed into the soil up to depths of 25, 50 and 75 mm from the
top of the saturated expansive clay bed and the penetration
force read. The penetration resistance was measured at different
depths and radial distances from the centre of the granular pile
anchor.
operated with an electric cable and an extensometer magnetic
ring with prongs. Fig. 4 shows the equipment used for
measuring heave. The readout unit was manufactured and
supplied by Associated Instruments Manufacturers India
Limited (AIMIL), New Delhi, India. The magnetic gauge shown
in the figure has four prongs attached to an annular magnetic
base. The set-up is made to stand with its base at the bottom at
any level. As the magnetic gauge is pushed down a polyvinyl
chloride (PVC) casing pipe whose bottom is kept at the level
where the gauge has to be installed, the prongs stretch out into
the soil with a spring action and stick to the soil. The initial
level of soil at which the ring of magnetic settlement gauge is
placed is noted with the help of a probe attached to a
graduated electrical cable, which beeps on passing through the
annular magnetic ring. The probe is inserted again after a
prescribed time interval into the casing pipe. It gives the
modified soil level, which is noted as the electrical cable gives
the beep. The difference between the two ground levels is the
amount of heave or the amount of settlement. Heave at
different radial distances was also measured using the same
instrument.

2.6. Measurement of shear parameters of the granular 3. DISCUSSION OF TEST RESULTS

pile–clay interface
Shear box tests were conducted by compacting the granular pile
material and expansive clay in the lower and upper halves of the
shear box, respectively, to determine the shear parameters, c9
and
9, of the granular pile–clay interface. The expansive clay
was compacted at the initial water content (wi ) and the required
initial dry density (ªdi ). The granular material was compacted at
the appropriate relative density (Dr ). The tests were conducted in
a shear box of size 60 mm 3 60 mm 3 20 mm. The clay sample
was allowed to swell completely before the shear test. Heave was
monitored, and the shear test conducted when there was no
further swell. Shear tests were conducted to evaluate the effect
of friction mobilised at the interface formed by the granular pile
and the expansive clay. The values of shear parameters c9 and

9 were 10 kPa and 288,
respectively.
3.1. Effect of GPA on the amount and rate of heave
Figure 5 shows the typical plot for rate of heave for the
cases of
(a) an unreinforced expansive clay bed
(b) three more clay beds reinforced with single granular pile-
anchors of length 1000 mm with varying diameters of 100,
150 and 200 mm.
The rate and amount of heave of unreinforced in situ
expansive clay bed, 1000 mm thick, and expansive clay beds
reinforced with in situ granular pile-anchors of length 500,
750 and 1000 mm and diameters 100, 150 and 200 mm

2.7. Measurement of Electrical cable

Dial gauge
heave at different depths Magnetic probe
and radial distances from Ground surface Footing plate
the GPA below the
ground level PVC pipe
Heave of the clay bed at
different depths and radial Magnetic base with
distances from the centre of prongs
the GPA was also
Granular pile-anchor
continuously monitored as
the clay bed was inundated. Anchor rod Bore hole
Monitoring of the heave of
the clay bed at different
depths and radial distances Expansive clay bed
from the centre of the GPA
was performed using a
readout unit, the description
and use of which is as Anchor plate
follows.
Fig. 4. In situ expansive clay bed reinforced with granular pile-anchor and heave measuring
Heave was measured with the instrument installed in the bore hole
help of a readout unit

202 Ground Improvement 161 Issue GI4 Field behaviour of granular pile-anchors in expansive soils Phanikumar et al.

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 20
of the expansive clay bed to the initial thickness and expressed
as

16

Unreinforced expansive 1 S% ¼ (˜ H= H) 3 100

clay bed
12
Heave: cm

Clay bed reinforced with

100 mm dia. granular where ˜H is the heave in millimetres and H is the initial
pile-anchor
8 thickness of clay bed. The reduced percentage heave obtained
Clay bed reinforced with
150 mm dia. granular on reinforcing the clay beds with granular pile-anchors is
pile-anchor denoted as S9. Table 3 shows the reduced percentage of heave
4
Clay bed reinforced with of expansive clay beds reinforced with GPAs. The range of
200 mm dia. granular reduced percentage of heave was between 75% (for
pile-anchor
0 lgp ¼ 500 mm and dgp ¼ 100 mm) to 15%. A maximum reduced
0 50 100 150 200 250
heave of 15% was obtained when a GPA of length 1000 mm
Time: days
and diameter 200 mm was installed in the clay bed.
Fig. 5. Rate of heave of clay bed reinforced with 1000 mm
long granular pile-anchor The percentage reduction in heave, indicated as SR , is the ratio
of reduction in heave to the original heave of the unreinforced
clay bed and is given by the equation

were determined. The clay bed was compacted at placement

2 SR ¼ (S
S9)=S 3 100
water content of 15% and dry unit weight of 14 kN/m3 . The
unreinforced expansive clay bed attained a final amount of
heave of 154 mm or final percentage heave of 15.4%. As The clay bed reinforced with a GPA of length 1000 mm and
there was no technique provided in the clay bed for diameter 200 mm (l/d ratio ¼ 5) resulted in the maximum
arresting heave, the clay bed heaved to its fullest extent. In percentage reduction of heave. Table 4 summarises the values
the case of clay beds reinforced with GPAs in situ, however, of percentage reduction in heave for different dimensions of
heave was reduced considerably. The respective amounts of GPAs used in the test programme. For a given length or
reduced heave of clay beds reinforced with granular pile- diameter of the GPA, as the surface area increased by the
anchors of length 1000 mm and diameters 100, 150 and increase of diameter or length, mobilised resistance to heave
200 mm were 48, 27 and 15 mm. Hence, the final also increased, resulting in a greater reduction of heave (Table
percentage of heave was 4.8, 2.7 and 1.5% in the above 4). A maximum of 90% reduction in heave was observed when
cases. The amount of heave was reduced quite effectively by the length of the GPA was 1000 mm and the diameter was
reinforcing the clay beds with granular pile-anchors due to 200 mm. The laboratory-scale study indicated a maximum
the effect of anchorage and shear resistance mobilised along reduction of 96% in heave. 11
the pile–soil interface.
Diameter of granular Length of the granular pile-anchor:
With regard to the rate of development of heave, the pile-anchor: mm mm
unreinforced expansive clay bed required about 210 days or
seven months of continuous wetting to attain the final amount 500 750 1000
of heave (154 mm), whereas the clay bed reinforced with
granular pile-anchors required much less time. For example, 100 75 64 48
the clay bed reinforced with granular pile-anchors 1000 mm 150 63 47 27
200 46 38 15
long and 100, 150 and 200 mm in diameter required a time
period of 120 days or four months. It was also observed that
Table 3. Reduced percentage heave (S9) of clay beds on
the increase in diameter of the GPA (from 100 to 150 mm and
installation of granular pile-anchors (heave of unreinforced
from 150 to 200 mm) reduced the amount of heave (48, 27 and expansive clay bed ¼ 154 mm)
15 mm), but did not significantly change the time required for
the attainment of final heave. The expansive clay beds
reinforced with GPAs adjusted quickly to moisture changes.
The high permeability characteristics of the GPAs allowed a Diameter of granular Length of the granular pile-anchor:
rapid circulation and absorption of water, which led to a rather pile-anchor: mm mm
quick attainment of the final heave. Moreover, the amount of
heave was reduced due to installation of GPAs. The high 500 750 1000
friction angle of the granular material was instrumental in
reducing the amount of heave. A similar trend was also 100 52 58 69
150 59 70 82
observed in the case of GPAs of length 750 and 500 mm.
200 70 75 90
Previous research on laboratory-scale GPAs 11,12 also yielded
similar results.
Table 4. Percentage reduction in heave (SR ) of expansive clay
beds reinforced with granular pile-anchors
The percentage heave, S%, is the ratio of increase in thickness

Ground Improvement 161 Issue GI4 Field behaviour of granular pile-anchors in expansive soils Phanikumar et al. 203

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 3.2. Effect of l/d ratio of a GPA
Figure 6 shows the variation of percentage surface heave of the
reinforced clay bed with the l/d ratio of the GPA. The data
shown in the figure pertain to GPAs of three different lengths,
namely 1000, 750 and 500 mm. As mentioned already, the
diameters of the pile-anchors varied as 100, 150 and 200 mm.
The figure shows that, for all lengths of pile-anchors, the
amount of heave decreased as the l/d ratio decreased. For a
given length of the pile-anchor, as the diameter increased, the
surface area increased and the l/d ratio decreased. Increasing
surface area resulted in greater amounts of resistance to heave
and, consequently in a lesser amount of heave. Whereas the
lowest l/d ratio of 5 (lgp ¼ 1000 mm; dgp ¼ 200 mm) gave an
amount of heave of 15 mm, the highest l/d ratio of 10
(lgp ¼ 1000 mm; dgp ¼ 100 mm) yielded 48 mm of heave.
3.3. Variation of heave with depth
In the preceding section, the variation of surface heave was
discussed; the rate and amount of heave discussed in the
previous section pertained to surface heave. However, the
amount of heave decreased with depth from the top of the clay
bed. Fig. 7 shows the variation in the amount of heave with
depth for the cases of unreinforced expansive clay bed and
clay beds reinforced with GPAs of length 1000 mm and
diameters of 100, 150 and 200 mm. In all cases it was found
that the amount of heave decreased with depth from the top,
reaching zero heave at the bottom of the pile-anchor or clay
bed. It may be mentioned here that the length of the pile-
anchor and the thickness of the clay bed were equal in this
8
7 model study on GPAs 12 showed that the influence of the GPA
6 was only up to a radial distance of 3d. As the diameter of the
Surface heave: %
case. In the case in which the length of the pile-anchor was
less than the thickness of the clay bed, however, some amount
of heave was recorded at the bottom of the pile-anchor. This
was because the expansive clay beneath the base of the pile-
anchor swelled. The reduction in the amount of heave could be
attributed to the overburden of the soil precluding the
underlying soil from heaving. The deeper the level of the soil,
the greater the overburden pressure and the greater the
reduction in heave.
3.4. Variation of heave with radial distance from the
centre of the GPA
Figure 8 shows the variation of heave (%) with radial distance
from the centre of the GPA. The heave data shown in the figure
pertain to the expansive clay bed reinforced with a GPA of
length 1000 mm and diameter 150 mm. It may be mentioned
here that heave in this case was measured at a constant depth
of 25 cm from the top. However, the radial distance at which
heave was measured was varied as 2d, 3d, 4d and 5d, where d
is the diameter of the GPA (¼ 150 mm). The heave increased
with increasing radial distance from the centre of the GPA in a
curvilinear fashion. At r ¼ 5d, which is the furthest point at
which heave was measured, heave reached a maximum value
of about 10.5%. This means that the efficacy of a granular pile-
anchor in reducing heave decreased in regions of soil away
from the GPA. Any surface through the GPA and the clay bed,
which remained horizontal before inundation, became a
cylindrical surface after inundation as indicated in Fig. 8. It
may be mentioned here that the top surface of the expansive
clay bed was observed to be a cylindrical surface heaving to
the maximum level at the edges of the pit and showing a
minimum amount of heave at the GPA. The laboratory-scale

GPA in situ was larger than the laboratory model pile-anchor,

5
the radius of the zone of influence also increased. This
4 indicates that GPAF can be an effective in situ foundation
500 mm long granular
3 technique for expansive clay beds by improving the overall
pile-anchor
750 mm long granular
engineering behaviour of expansive clay beds.
2
pile-anchor
1 1000 mm long granular 3.5. Strength behaviour of expansive clay reinforced with
pile-anchor GPAs
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
lgp/dgp
3.5.1. Undrained shear strength. Figure 9 shows the variation
of undrained shear strength (cu ) of the expansive clay in both
Fig. 6. Variation of surface heave (%) with l/d ratio

12

Heave: %
0 5 10 15 20
0
⫺10 8
Heave: %

⫺20
⫺30
Depth: cm

⫺40
Unreinforced expansive clay bed 4 lgp ⫽1000 mm
⫺50
Clay bed reinforced with 100 mm dgp ⫽150 mm
⫺60 dia. granular pile-anchor
⫺70 Clay bed reinforced with 150 mm
⫺80 dia. granular pile-anchor
0
Clay bed reinforced with 200 mm 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
⫺90
dia. granular pile-anchor
⫺100 Radial distance from the centre of granular pile-anchor: mm

Fig. 7. Variation of heave with depth Fig. 8. Variation of heave with radial distance

204 Ground Improvement 161 Issue GI4 Field behaviour of granular pile-anchors in expansive soils Phanikumar et al.

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 reinforced and unreinforced conditions. The undrained shear of about 120% was observed in the penetration resistance. The
strength of the reinforced expansive clay was higher than that reasons already given for the increase in cu can also be
of the unreinforced clay. In the case of unreinforced expansive attributed to the increase in the penetration resistance. This
clay bed, heave was not controlled as there was no resisting corroborates the results of the undrained shear strength. Figs 9
force. Hence, complete final heave occurred, resulting in the and 10 show the profiles of undrained shear strength and
decrease of the density of the clay bed. This was the reason penetration resistance at a depth of 25 mm from the top of the
why cu was less in the case of unreinforced expansive clay clay bed. Thus, they correspond to various depths of the GPA
bed. In the case of the expansive clay bed reinforced with a other than at the top.
GPA, however, heave was controlled, and the density of the
clay surrounding the GPA was high, resulting in higher values 4. CONCLUSIONS
of cu . Furthermore, a GPA, by its high permeability, acted as The in situ testing was performed to study the efficacy of a
an effective drainage medium resulting in increased cu . GPAF system in minimising heave and in improving the
engineering behaviour. The rate and amount of heave,
3.5.2. Penetration resistance. Penetration resistance, which variation of heave with depth and radial distance from the
indicates the strength of the soil, was measured using a Proctor centre of GPA and improvement in strength characteristics of
needle to which a shoe of diameter 20 mm was attached. Fig. expansive clay beds were studied. Based on the results, GPAF is
10 shows the variation of penetration resistance measured in recommended for use as a foundation practice in expansive
an expansive clay bed in both reinforced and unreinforced soils. The main conclusions drawn from the field tests are as
conditions. The values of penetration resistance of the clay bed follows.
reinforced by the granular pile-anchor were higher than that of
an unreinforced clay bed. However, the penetration resistance (a) The in situ GPA reduced the amount of heave of expansive
increased with depth in both conditions. A maximum increase clay beds. A maximum of 90% reduction in heave was
observed when the length
of the pile-anchor (lgp )
was 1000 mm and the
Unconfined compressive strength: kN/m2 diameter (dgp ) was
40 60 80 100 120 140 200 mm (l/d ¼ 5). This
0
agrees closely with the
Unreinforced expansive clay bed results obtained in
⫺20 Radial distance equal to 3 times laboratory-scale studies
diameter of pile-anchor on GPAs. 11,12 For a given
Radial distance equal to twice surface area of GPA,
Depth: cm

diameter of pile-anchor
⫺40 increasing pile-anchor
Radial distance equal to
diameter of pile-anchor diameter (dgp ) was more
effective in reducing
⫺60 heave than increasing
pile-anchor length (lgp ).
(b) The rate of development
⫺80 of final heave increased
when expansive clay beds
Fig. 9. Variation of unconfined compressive strength with depth were reinforced with
GPAs. Whereas the
unreinforced expansive
Penetration resistance: N clay bed required about
100 150 200 250 300 seven months to attain
0
final heave, the clay bed
Unreinforced expansive clay bed reinforced with GPAs
Radial distance equal to 3 times
diameter of pile-anchor
reached the final heave in
⫺20 four months.
Radial distance equal twice
diameter of pile-anchor (c) Heave was negligible at
Radial distance equal to the bottom of the clay
Depth: cm

diameter of pile-anchor bed when the length of

⫺40
the GPA was equal to the
thickness of the clay bed.
If the length of the GPA
⫺60
was smaller than the
thickness of the clay bed,
however, some amount of
⫺80 heave was recorded at the
bottom of the GPA. The
Fig. 10. Variation of penetration resistance with depth heave of GPA-reinforced
expansive clay beds

Ground Improvement 161 Issue GI4 Field behaviour of granular pile-anchors in expansive soils Phanikumar et al. 205

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 increased with increasing radial distance from the centre of
the GPA, reaching a value of 10.5% at a radial distance of
750 mm or 5d from the centre of the GPA. The laboratory
model study, however, suggested that GPA had influence
only up to a radial distance of 3d. 11,12
(d) The unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of expansive
clay beds reinforced with GPAs increased with respect to
that of unreinforced expansive clay beds at all depths. This
indicated that GPA-reinforced expansive clay improved the
engineering behaviour. At mid-depth, UCS was 50 kN/m2
for the unreinforced clay bed, whereas the clay beds
reinforced with GPAs of length 1000 mm and diameters of
100, 150 and 200 mm was, respectively, 70, 87 and
105 kN/m2 .
(e) The Proctor needle penetration resistance of
GPA-reinforced expansive clay beds was higher than that
of unreinforced clay beds. The penetration resistance of the
unreinforced expansive clay bed at mid-depth was 125 N,
whereas that of GPA-reinforced clay beds was respectively
165, 185 and 215 N when GPAs of length 1000 mm and
diameters 100, 150 and 200 mm were installed. Research
on laboratory-scale GPAs 11,12 also showed a similar trend.
(f) On the basis of the results of these full-scale tests, GPAF
are recommended for use as a foundation practice in
expansive soils.
5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors thank the Central Water Commission, New Delhi,
India for financing this research project and the Indian
National Committee for Geotechnical Engineering, New Delhi
for sponsoring the project.
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