GROUND

IMPROVEMENT
Lecture 19
Asst. Prof. Kristian Azul
 GROUND
IMPROVEMENT
3

GEOMATERIALS
• Natural – soil (gravel, sand, silt, clay)
and rock
• Processed (manufactured) – produced
from other materials
• Improved – treated and altered
materials

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
4

GEOTECHNICAL ISSUES
• Large settlements
• Bearing capacity failure
• Differential settlements
• Soil instability
• Soil liquefaction

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
5

WHY DO WE NEED G.I.

• Mechanical properties are not adequate
• Swelling and shrinkage
• Collapsible soils
• Soft soils concerns
• Organic soils and peaty soils
• Sands and gravelly deposits, karst deposits
with sinkhole formations
• Foundations on dumps and sanitary landfills
• Handling dredged materials
• Handling hazardous materials in contact with
soils
• Use of old mine pit
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
6

SHRINKAGE EFFECTS

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
7

SWELLING EFFECTS

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
8

COLLAPSIBLE SOILS
Soils that collapse and compact when they get
wet.

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
9

GENERAL STRATEGY
• When a project encounters difficult
foundation conditions, possible alternative
solutions are
• Avoid the particular site
• Design the planned structure (flexible/rigid)
accordingly
• Remove and replace unsuitable soils
• Attempt to modify existing ground
• Enable cost effective foundation design
• Reduce the effects of contaminated soils
• Ensure sustainability in construction projects
using ground improvement technique

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
10
FACTORS AFFECTING CHOICE
OF G.I. TECHNIQUE
• Type and degree of improvement required
• Bearing capacity improvement, settlement
reduction, permeability enhancement/decrease,
long term/short term, liquefaction resistance.
• Type of soil, geological structure, seepage
conditions
• Type of clay/sand and foundation, role of pore
pressure and seepage, presence of difficult
geological condition.

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
11
FACTORS AFFECTING CHOICE
OF G.I. TECHNIQUE
• Costs, equipment, specifications
• Size of the project, availability of equipment,
transportation costs, experienced contractors,
Specification of work, guidance documents.
• Construction time
• Construction time available, use of accelerated
construction techniques

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
12
FACTORS AFFECTING CHOICE
OF G.I. TECHNIQUE
• Possible damage to adjacent structure or
pollution of ground water resources
• Tolerable levels of loading and deformation, pore
water contamination
• Durability of the materials involved
• Short term and long term, corrosion, aggressive
soil condition.

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
13
FACTORS AFFECTING CHOICE
OF G.I. TECHNIQUE
• Toxicity and corrosivity of any chemical
additives
• Government regulations may restrict the choice of
additives
• Using Vitrification of soils to limit radio active or
hazardous wastes,
• Ex: Remediation of chromium-contaminated soil
through ex situ vitrification (ASCE journal paper)
• Reversibility or irreversibility of the process
• Ex: Lime added to expensive soil reacts in
presence of sulphate

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
14

GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF G.I.

• Increase strength
• Reduce distortion under stress (Increases
stress-strain modulus)
• Reduce compressibility (volume decreases
due to a reduction in air voids or water
content under loads)

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
15
DIFFERENT GROUND
IMPROVEMENT MECHANISMS
• Compaction
• Improvement due to high densification.
• Long term improvement technique.
• Soil state changes.
• Used for silty , sandy and gravely soils.
• Dewatering
• Similar to compaction.
• Mostly adopted to clayey soils.

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
16
DIFFERENT GROUND
IMPROVEMENT MECHANISMS
• Reinforcement
• Improves the soil response via interaction
between soil and inclusion.
• Improving period depends on the life of
inclusion.
• No change in the state of soil.
• IWidely used technique as it can be done for
many types of soils.
• Admixtures or grouting
• Cementation plays a major role in improving the
soil response.
• Short term/long term improvement techniques
are possible.
• There is a change in soil state after adopting it.

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
17
GROUND IMPROVEMENT
CLASSIFICATIONS
• Mechanically Compaction
• Chemically Stabilization
• Hydraulically Drainage
• Biologically Microorganisms
• Physically Reinforcements

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
COMPACTION
19

DYNAMIC COMPACTION
• Dynamic compaction is a ground
improvement technique that densifies soils
and fill materials by using a drop weight
typically 10t to 25t, from a height of between
10m and 25m.
• Its common use is to decrease soil settlement
and increase bearing capacity.
• The drop weight, typically steel, is lifted by a
crane and repeatedly dropped onto the
ground surface.
• Vibrations transmitted below the surface
improve soils at depth.
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
20

DYNAMIC COMPACTION
You can also watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yli
-pE7ugxg

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
21

DYNAMIC COMPACTION
• The drop locations are typically located on a grid
pattern, the spacing of which is determined by the
subsurface conditions and foundation loading and
geometry.

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
22

DYNAMIC COMPACTION
• Treated granular soils and fills have
increased density, friction angle, and
stiffness.
• In shallow karst geologies, dynamic
compaction has been used to collapse voids
prior to construction to reduce sinkhole
potential.

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
23

DYNAMIC COMPACTION

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
24

RAPID IMPACT COMPACTION

• Rapid Impact Compaction densifies
shallow, granular soils, using a
hydraulic hammer, which
repeatedly strikes an impact plate
on the ground surface.
• It is typically used to treat loose
granular soil soils and permit
shallow spread footing construction.
• The RIC technique applies impact
energy to the ground surface
resulting in densification of loose
granular soils to a depth of up to 15
feet. The impact energy is applied
using a hydraulic ram with a drop
weight of 4-8 tons.

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
25

VIBROCOMPACTION
• Vibro Compaction uses
probe-type vibrators hung
from cranes or mounted on
piling equipment to densify
granular soils up to 40m deep.
• The vibratory action of the
probe as it drives into the
ground rearranges the soil
particles and densifies the
soil.
• Granular fill is introduced into
the annulus around the
vibrator to maintain working
platform level and to assist
densification.
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
26

VIBROCOMPACTION
• The vibratory energy reduces the
inter-granular forces between the
soil particles, allowing them to
move into a denser configuration,
typically reaching a relative
density of 70 to 85%.
• The improved soil characteristics
depend on the soil type and
gradation, spacing of the
penetration points, and the time
spent performing the compaction.
• Generally, the vibro compaction
penetration spacing is between 6
feet and 14 feet, with centers
arranged on a triangular or square
pattern.

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
DRY SOIL MIXING
28

DRY SOIL MIXING

• Dry soil mixing is a ground
improvement technique that
improves soft, high moisture clays,
peats, and other weak soils, by
mechanically mixing them with dry
cementitious binder to create
soilcrete.
• To construct columns, a high-speed
drill advances into the ground a
drill rod with radial mixing paddles
near the bottom of the drill string.
• During penetration, the tool shears
the soils to prepare them for mixing.
After the tool reaches the design
depth, the binder is pumped
pneumatically through the drill
steel to the tool, where it is mixed
with the soil as the tool is
withdrawn.
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
29

DRY SOIL MIXING

• Dry soil mixing is low vibration,
quiet, clean, and uses readily
available materials.
• This process is often used in
high groundwater conditions
and has the advantage of
creating almost no spoil for
disposal.
• Dry soil mixing is best for soils
with moisture contents greater
than 60 percent and near the
liquid limit.
• Soils vary widely in their ability
to be mixed, depending on the
soil type, strength, water content,
plasticity, stratigraphy, and
texture.
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
30

DRY SOIL MIXING

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
31

CHEMICAL GROUTING
• Chemical grouting transforms
granular soils into sandstone-
like masses by filling the voids
with a low viscosity, non-
particulate grout. Sands with low
fines content are best suited for
this technique.
• A sleeve port pipe is first
grouted into a pre-drilled hole.
The chemical grout is injected
under pressure through the
ports. The grout permeates the
soil and hardens, creating a
sandstone-like mass.
• The grouted soil has increased
strength, stiffness, and reduced
permeability.
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
32

CHEMICAL GROUTING
• Chemical grouting offers the
advantages of being easily
performed where access and
space is limited, and where no
structural connection to the
foundation being underpinned
is required.
• A common application of
chemical grouting is to provide
both excavation support and
underpinning of existing
structures adjacent to an
excavation. It can typically be
accomplished without
disrupting normal facility
operations.

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
33

CEMENT GROUTING
• Cement grouting, also known as
slurry grouting or high mobility
grouting, fills pores in granular
soil or voids in rock/soil, with
flowable particulate grouts.
• Depending on the conditions,
Portland cement or microfine
cement grout is injected under
pressure at strategic locations
through single port or multiple
port pipes.
• Cement grouting can offer an
economic advantage for
underpinning applications over
alternative approaches such as
removal and replacement or
piling, and can be performed
where access is difficult and
space is limited.
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
34

CEMENT GROUTING
• Cement grouting, also known as
slurry grouting or high mobility
grouting, fills pores in granular
soil or voids in rock/soil, with
flowable particulate grouts.
• Depending on the conditions,
Portland cement or microfine
cement grout is injected under
pressure at strategic locations
through single port or multiple
port pipes.
• Cement grouting can offer an
economic advantage for
underpinning applications over
alternative approaches such as
removal and replacement or
piling, and can be performed
where access is difficult and
space is limited.
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
35

SOIL NAILING
• Soil nailing uses grouted, tension-resisting
steel elements (nails) installed to reinforce
the soil creating a gravity retaining wall for
permanent or temporary excavation support.
• Soil nail walls are generally constructed from
the top down. Typically, soil is excavated in 3
to 6 feet deep stages.
• After each excavation stage, near-horizontal
holes are drilled into the exposed face at
typically 3 to 6 foot centers.
• Tension-resisting steel bars are inserted into
the holes and grouted in place.
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
36

SOIL NAILING
• A drainage system is installed on the exposed
face, followed by the application of reinforced
shotcrete facing.
• Bearing plates are then fixed to the heads of the
soil nails.
• This installation process is repeated until the
design wall depth is reached. The finished soil
nails produce a zone of reinforced ground.
• Soil nailing equipment is small enough that it can
negotiate restricted access. For existing steep
slopes, such as bluffs or existing retaining walls,
the soil nails can be installed from crane-
suspended working platforms.
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
37

SOIL NAILING

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
38

SOIL NAILING

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
39

SOIL NAILING

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
40

SOIL NAILING

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
41

SLURRY WALLS
• Slurry walls are
below-grade walls
that restrict
groundwater flow
(cutoff/barrier) or
support excavations
and structures
(structural
diaphragm), using
soil-bentonite or
cement-bentonite.

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
42

GEOGRID

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
43

GEOGRID

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II
44

REFERENCES
• https://www.myfoundationrepairs.com/the-effect-of-hotter-drier-than-expected-summer-conditions-on-alabama-
foundations/
• https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/news/newsreleases/2013/aug-26-2013/dry-soil-may-cause-structural-problems/
• http://coloradogeologicalsurvey.org/geologic-hazards/swelling-soils/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4rpjgi4Heo
• http://www.densification.com/DC.aspx?show=what
• http://www.trevispa.com/en/Technologies/dynamic-compaction-heavy-tamping
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j67suAOHJBw
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPGAJCdVjUQ
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6C1OSAKc4M
• http://keller.com.au/solutions/techniques/dry-soil-mixing
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sfl4srVGGgQ
• https://www.haywardbaker.com/solutions/techniques/permeation-chemical-grouting
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW64sttpqHI
• https://www.deepexcavation.com/en/soil-nail-wall
• https://www.haywardbaker.com/solutions/techniques/soil-nailing
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRAEZTOCBm0
• https://www.soil-nailing.com/industry-news/soil-nail-wall-advantages/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FQx2yn-L5s
• https://www.indiamart.com/coastland-geotechnics-llp/geosynthetics.html
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ2w6A23ElQ

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING II