Occurrence of Weak Deposits

Coastal Areas
Soft Marine Clay
( e.g. Vizag, Cochin, Kandala, etc. )
Loose Beach Sand
Alluvial Deposits
( e.g. Aonla, Babarala, Shahajhanpur of Gangetic Belt )
Low-lying Areas getting submerged by flood/tide
 Properties of Soft Clay
Moisture Content = Liquid Limit
Cohesion Strength = 10-20 kPa
SPT (N) Values = 0 to 2
Void Ratio = 0.8 to 1.2
Compression Index > 1.0
Coefficient of Consolidation = 1to 2 m2/year
 Problems with Soft Clay
Very Low Bearing Capacity
Capacit
Large Settlements ( both total and differential )
Long Term Settlements
Negative Skin Friction on Piles
Low Horizontal Load Capacity of Piles
Instability of Deep Excavation Slopes
High Earth Pressures on Retaining Structures
Lateral Flow under Surface Loading
 Properties of Loose Sand
Saturated Unit Weight = 18-20 kN/m3
Void Ratio = 0.75 to 0.85
Standard Penetration Test (N) Value = 4 to 10
Angle of Friction = 28 - 30 degrees
Compressibility Modulus = 5000 k Pa
Permeability Coefficient = 10-5
 Problems with Loose Sand
Low Bearing Capacity ( local shear failure )
Higher Settlements
Susceptibility to Liquefaction
Temporary Support for Excavations
Higher Seepage in Excavations
Higher Earth Pressures on Retaining Structures
 Foundation Options

Weak Soil

Dense Soil

Shallow Footing Compacted Ground Pile Foundation

Methods of Ground Improvement
For Cohesive Soils
Vertical Drains and Preloading
Vacuum Dewatering
Stone Columns
In-situ Deep Mixing
Electro-osmosis
Thermal Treatment
Installation of Vertical Drains

drain
Soft Clay
42.5 m dia x 14.6 m high external floating roof tanks for storing
high/low sulphur diesel for Chochin Refineries Limited
Methods of Ground Improvement
For Cohesionless Soil
Compaction Piles
Vibro Compaction
Stone Columns
Dynamic Compaction
Deep Explosions
Grouting
 GROUND IMPROVEMENT -
VIBRO COMPACTION AND VIBRO REPLACEMENT

 Vibro compaction (Vibro Floatation) used for

compacting sand deposits both on land and
underwater.

 These techniques are efficient and installation takes

place very fast.

 Where applicable very cost effective; on an average

50% saving as compared to a piled solution.

Prof.V.S.Raju, IIT Madras

1
00 1
00

8
0 8
0

6
0 6
0

4
0 4
0

2
0 2
0

0 0
,02 0
0 ,00
60,
0 2 0
,06 0
,2 0
,6 2
,0 6
,0 2
0 0 0
6

GRADATION APPROPRIATE FOR VIBRO FLOTATION / VIBRO COMPACTION METHOD

(Source : "Keller Grundbau GmbH", Head office and Overseas Division,
D-63006 Offenbach, Germany)

Prof.V.S.Raju, IIT Madras

 Ground improvement (Contd.)

EXAMPLES

 Vibro Compaction of sand below the foundations of

a breakwater near Karwar (Figs.1 to 3) to avoid
liquefaction failure and reduce settlements.

 Vibro Replacement of foundation for large LNG

storage tanks of 100m diameter with loading
intensities of 20 t/m2 near Hazira on West Coast: as
an alternative to pile foundation.

Prof.V.S.Raju, IIT Madras

 Fig. 1 BREAK WATER CROSS SECTION

Fig. 2 GENERAL ARRANGEMENT OF VIBRO EQUIPMENT

Prof.V.S.Raju, IIT Madras
Vibrator
Fig. 3 RESULTS OF PRE AND POST COMPACTION CPT

Prof.V.S.Raju, IIT Madras

SOIL PROFILE

83
Prof.V.S.Raju, IIT Madras
CONE RESISTANCE VALUES
Prof.V.S.Raju, IIT Madras
 ROLE OF INSTRUMENTATION
IN FOUNDATION MONITORING

by

Prof. S.R. Gandhi

Department of Civil Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Chennai 600 036