An Experimental Study on Development of the Bearing Capacity of Soft Clay Soil Using Stone Column with Bamboo Sheet Plate

Abstract

The study represents an experimental investigation of the development of bearing capacity in soft clayey soil using stone column with bamboo sheet plate. Basically, application of bamboo sheet plate in stone column helps to decrease the lateral displacement of the soft clayey soil. Accordingly, bulging of stone column decreases and enhances the load bearing capacity of the soft clayey soil. A series of model experiments are conducted on a specially fabricated steel tank filled with soft clayey soil in the laboratory. Single stone columns are constructed in the soft soil by digging hole and then placing and compacting stones. Bamboo sheet plates are placed at different locations of the stone column in a single layer such as L/3, L/2, and 2L/3 from the top, where L stands for the depth or length of stone column. One experiment is performed only for stone column without the bamboo sheet. Another experiment is conducted by placing two bamboo sheet plates together; one at the depth of L/3 and another is at the depth of 2L/3. A plate load test is also performed to find out the capacity of soft clayey soil. Load verses settlement graphs are plotted for all the tests, and load carrying capacity and settlement are calculated. A comparative study is conducted from the results of different experiments and noticed that load bearing capacity of the soft clayey soil improves by the application of bamboo sheet plate.KeywordsBamboo sheet plateStone columnLoad bearing capacity