DEM Analysis of the Effect of Grain Size Distribution on Vibroflotation Without Backfill

Vibroflotation without backfill is a widely-employed ground improvement technique in geotechnical engineering, which has been proven to be a quite effective method for granular sands. However, some mechanics still remain unclear, such as the effect of the grain size distribution (GSD) of the ground. Hence, firstly, two numerical grounds were generated using the Distinct Element Method (DEM), which only differed in the GSD while other parameters were the same. Then, the vibroflotation without backfill was simulated in the two numerical grounds. Finally, the effect of the GSD on vibroflotation without backfill was studied by comparing the relative change of void ratio during vibroflotation and presenting the micro information, i.e., particle velocity field. The results show that a more efficient densification, a better treatment and a larger affected area can be achieved by the vibroflotation without backfill in the test ground with bigger uniformity coefficient.