Experimental Study of Soft Clay Soil Improvement by Deep Mixing Method

Abstract

The deep method (DMM) is a soil remediation method that involves on-site ‎mixing of soil with cement and/or other materials. These compounds, which ‎are also known as "bonding materials," can be applied dry or wet. The current ‎study involves the construction of 13 laboratory models to examine the means ‎of improving soft clay soil qualities through deep mixing techniques with ‎piling foundation. In the dry condition, static loading studies on piles and ‎DMM were carried out using tow materials, cement, and lime. The model ‎experiments included a single pile as well as groups of piles and cement or ‎lime columns. There were two, three, and four piles or columns in each group. ‎The model tests revealed that deep mixing had a significant impact on ‎increasing bearing capacity by averaged times ranging from 1.23 to 2.43 times ‎for soft clay soil treated with single and groups of four cement or lime ‎columns, respectively, as well as minimizing settlement by averaged ‎percentages ranging from 33% to 89 percent. These results were comparable ‎to those obtained using pile foundations in the same manner. The outcomes of ‎the model tests were also evaluated in terms of group efficiency.