Performance of mechanical agitation type of ground-improvement by CAE system using 3-D DEM

Ground-improvement technology, aimed at ensuring the stability of the ground, can achieve the desired ground strength and other geological conditions by artificially improving soft grounds. Although many ground-improvement technologies have been proposed, there are few ways to confirm whether the target ground improvement has actually been carried out, and a method to visually evaluate these ground-improvement technologies is necessary. In this research, focusing on the relative stirring type of deep mixing method, which is one of the ground-improvement methods, a computer aided engineering (CAE) analysis, based on the three-dimensional distinct element method (DEM), is performed. Then, the behavior of the ground is evaluated and the characteristics of the relative stirring type of deep mixing method are verified. From the results, the behavior of the soil particles and the stirring characteristics of the relative type of stirring blade can be grasped, and it is shown that the ground-improvement method can be visually evaluated.