Abstract
This paper investigates the loading behavior and soil-structure interaction associated with a floating stone column under rigid foundation by using the discrete element method (DEM). The aggregates and soft soil are simulated by particles with different sizes. The rigid foundation is simulated by two loading plates at the same position with the same velocity. The stress distributions and microscopic interaction between the column and soft soil are investigated. The vertical stress of the column increases with settlement and decreases with the depth. The position of the column with large radial stress also has large deformation, which decreases from top to bottom. The vertical and radial stresses of the soft soil increase with settlement, and the radial stress shows high value in the upper part of soft soil. The stress concentration ratio is obtained by two loading plates, which decreases from 2.5 to 1.55 during loading. The interaction between column and soft soil shows that the column does not penetrate into the underlying stratum but drags the surrounding soil down.
Highlights
Stone columns have been proved to be effective, economical, and environment friendly to improve the soft soils [1, 2]
When the settlement is more than 1000 mm, the stress on the top of stone column decreases significantly
The vertical stress firstly increases and decreases along the stone column, which means that the vertical load is transferred from the column to the surrounding soil
Summary
Stone columns have been proved to be effective, economical, and environment friendly to improve the soft soils [1, 2]. They can increase bearing capacity, reduce final and differential settlement, accelerate soil consolidation, improve slope stability, and decrease liquefaction potential [3,4,5]. Since this technique was first recorded in 1839 in Bayonne (France), it has been widely used around the world [6,7,8]. The average degree of consolidation can be well predicted by using the solutions [9,10,11,12,13,14,15]
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