Estimating long-term settlement of floating stone column groups

Design charts for estimating long-term drained settlement of floating stone column group foundations are presented based on three-dimensional, elastoplastic, finite element analyses. In the analyses, the soft soil behavior is represented by the modified Cam-clay model while the stone column and mat are represented by the Mohr-Coulomb model. The finite element predictions are calibrated against model test results. A detailed parametric study of prototype stone column group foundations of various configurations is carried out to evaluate the relative importance of various foundation parameters on the group response. Next, finite element analyses of corresponding unit cells and single columns are performed. Reasonable correlations of load responses are found between single column and group behavior. Group and single column responses are then used to investigate S-g/S-1 relationship with different foundation parameters, where S-g and S-1 represent the settlement of the group and single column, respectively.