Deformation analysis of soft ground reinforced by columnar inclusions

A simple theoretical approach to predict the deformation behaviour of soft ground reinforced by columnar inclusions such as stone columns/granular piles, sand compaction piles, lime or cement columns, etc., is presented in this paper. The analysis is performed based on the deformation properties of the column material and the surrounding soil. The interaction shear stresses between the column and the surrounding soil are considered to account for the stress transfer between the column and the soil. The solution is obtained by imposing compatibility between the displacements of the column and the soil for each element of the column-soil system. Numerical evaluations ave made for a range of parameters to illustrate the influence of various parameters on the predictions. The proposed method is verified with finite element analysis and a reasonable agreement is obtained between the predictions. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.