Parametric Study on Stone Column for improving Seismic Response of Foundation

Abstract

Nowadays, due to higher rate of construction activities, useful and effective lands are harder to find for construction purposes. So, the lands which are problematic are now used for construction purposes. The techniques used for improving these problematic lands are called ground improvement techniques. Among all the ground improvement techniques, stone columns are most effective and economical to improve the shear strength and bearing capacity of soil and thus, to reduce the settlement phenomenon. The main objective of the present study is to determine the total displacement of the soil foundation. For this purpose, parametric analysis was carried out to study the effect of two parameters namely stone column diameter and stone column spacing on the total displacement values. Finite element analysis was used to evaluate the displacement of soil strata reinforced with stone column using PlAXIS-2D software. The analysis was carried out for static load applied from top and Bhuj earthquake prescribed as dynamic loading. From present study, it was found that by decreasing the column spacing at a constant diameter of 1m, the maximum total displacement reduction was 36.73% and by increasing the column diameter at constant column spacing of 2m, the maximum total displacement reduction was 39.75%. Thus, it was concluded that by decreasing the column spacing at constant diameter and by increasing the column diameter at constant spacing respectively, there is a tremendous decrease in total displacement of the soil foundation which increases the load bearing capacity of the soils.