CE 5129 Ground Improvement Techniques and its application (Paper IV)

Weekly contact: 3-0-0 (L-T-S) Full marks: 100

Prerequisite: Soil Mechanics preliminaries

Ashis Kumar Bera, PhD 1

Module No. Module Name and Topics No. of classes/Semester
1. Soft soil- Engineering properties of soft soil,
compressible fills, expansive soils. 05

2. Soil stabilization-Reinforcement, drainage, filters,

stone column, preloading, PVD, dynamic compaction,
sand drains, soil nailing, anchors, blasting, grouting,
thermal and electrical remediation, design methods,
case studies 18
3. Design and application of geosynthetics–Types and functions
of geotextiles, Design of reinforced earth walls as per codal provision,
field applications. 16
Total = 39

Ashis Kumar Bera, PhD 2

Manfred R. Hausmann, “Engineering Principles of Ground Modification”, McGraw-Hill Pub, Co., 1990.

Jones, C.J.E.P., “Reinforcement and Soil Structures”, Butterworth Publications, 1996.

Koerner, R. M., “Designing with Geosynthetics”, Prentice Hall Inc. 1998.

Ashis Kumar Bera, PhD 3

Definition :
From a mechanical view point, soft grounds are soil deposits which have high
compressibility but low strength.

Explanation:
The determination of such parameters cannot be done clearly and precisely because
soil responses are different for the applied methods and corresponding objectives.

Ashis Kumar Bera, PhD 4

Examples:
 Small embankment or shallow excavation may be found on a ground
which does not cause any engineering problems.

 But if higher embankment or deeper excavation are to be executed on

the same foundation, the excessive deformation may occur and cause
a structural failure. In addition to this, it is certainly true that the
limitations concerning ground characteristics are also significantly
different depending on the allowable differential settlement and total
deformation of the foundation for the structures.

Ashis Kumar Bera, PhD 5

Examples:
 Furthermore, the ground may not cause any problem if the execution
of an embankment is followed by other constructions in a slow
process after the long span which allows the ground to become
adequately stable.

 However, if the embankment has to be constructed in a very short

time, such problems as bearing capacity and consolidation at long-
term will become serious problems. This along with the increasing
trend to establish large-scale embankments using large equipment
have made it necessary to treat the ground, even one which has
favorable conditions, as soft ground.
Ashis Kumar Bera, PhD 6
 Types of Soft Soil:
In general, the following soil types are considered as the soft ground:
 Soils which have large fractions of particles as fine as silt,
 Clayey soils which have high moisture content,
 peat foundation, and

 sand deposits with a loose state under water table.

NB: Originally the concept of soft ground was mostly focused on the soils which are composed of clay deposits and have high
moisture content. However, since the occurrence of the liquefaction phenomena in loose sand foundations during the Niigata
earthquake, such deposits are now regarded as soft ground.

Ashis Kumar Bera, PhD 7

 From a geological viewpoint:
 Weak grounds which are accumulated naturally into alluvial layers in alluvial plains, and
swamps or manmade lands which are reclaimed around the offshore areas, lakes, and
marshes are likely susceptible to formation as soft ground.

 The alluvial layers were accumulated in the latest geologic period (the Holocene period) and
during these recent thousand years they were formed easily into soft grounds.

 For artificial lands as observed from their geological age, they were formed during relatively
recent years and mostly around the marine regions.

Ashis Kumar Bera, PhD 8

 Conditions for the Determination of Soft Ground

 In the cases of clayey soils, relative softness of the soil is expressed in terms of consistency, which can
be correlated to standard N-values and unconfined compressive strength (qu).

 For coarse-grained soils such as sand, the softness of foundation is expressed in terms of relative
density (Dr) and its correlation to N-values.

Ashis Kumar Bera, PhD 9

 Conditions for the Determination of Soft Ground

Relative density: Relative density is used to identify the looseness of sand foundations
and such determination has to be done by measuring void ratios of sand
corresponding to those in the site. It is necessary that a representative sample is
secured undisturbed, however, to secure the so-called undisturbed samples,
difficulties in the equipment and the techniques to be employed, time and the cost are
all inhibiting factors involved in securing undisturbed samples.

Ashis Kumar Bera, PhD 10

 Conditions for the Determination of Soft Ground

Standard penetration test: Standard penetration test has been developed and
widely employed as testing method to estimate the relative density of sand. This
method can be used simply to find the bearing capacity of sand foundation. In
other words, relative density can be expressed in terms of N-values which in
turn can predict the internal friction angle and bearing capacity. It can be noted
that determination of soft ground at the present is mostly based on the N-values.

Ashis Kumar Bera, PhD 11

Conditions for the Determination of Soft Ground

Ashis Kumar Bera, PhD 12