SOIL

STABILIZATION/GROUND
IMPROVEMENT
CIVIL ARCHIVE
1. GENERAL

The soil at a construction site may not always be totally suitable for supporting
structures such as buildings, bridges, highways, and dams.
For example, in granular soil deposits, the in situ soil may be very loose and
indicate a large elastic settlement. In such a case, the soil needs to be densified to
increase its unit weight and thus its shear strength.
Improving in situ soils by using additives is usually referred to as stabilization.
The improvement done by using any kind of materials is generally said to be
ground improvement.
2.PURPOSE OF GROUND
IMPROVEMENT/SOIL STABILIZATION

Reduce the settlement of structures .

Improve the shear strength of soil and thus increase the bearing capacity of shallow
foundations .
Increase the factor of safety against possible slope failure of embankments and
earth dams .
Reduce the shrinkage and swelling of soils.
3.GROUND IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES
3.1 VIBROFLOTATION

Vibroflotation is a technique developed in Germany in

the 1930s for in-situ densification of thick layers of loose
granular soil deposits.
The process involves the use of a vibroflot (called the
vibrating unit), as shown in Figure 1

FIG.1: VIBROFLOTATION
3.2 BLASTING

Blasting is a technique that has been used successfully in many projects (Mitchell, 1970)
for the densification of granular soils.
The process involves the detonation of explosive charges such as 60% dynamite at a
certain depth below the ground surface in saturated soil.
Compaction (up to a relative density of about 80%) up to a depth of about 18 m over a
large area can easily be achieved by using this process.
. The sphere of influence of compaction by a 60% dynamite charge can be given as
follows
(Mitchell, 1970):

Where
r Sphere of influence
Wex Weight of explosive [60% dynamite]
C 0.0122 when Wex is in kg and r is in m
 3.3 JET GROUTING
Jet grouting is a soil stabilization process
whereby cement slurry in injected into soil at a
high velocity to form a soilconcrete matrix.
Three basic systems of jet grouting have been
developedsingle, double, and triple rod
systems.
In all cases, hydraulic rotary drilling is used to
reach the design depth at which the soil has to
be stabilized.
The following figure (a) shows the single rod
system in which a cement slurry is injected at
a high velocity to form a soilcement matrix.
In the double rod system in the following
figure (b), the cement slurry is injected at a
high velocity sheathed in a cone of air at an
equally high velocity to erode and mix the soil FIG.2: JET GROUTING
well.
The triple rod system in the following figure
(c), uses high-pressure water shielded in a
cone of air to erode the soil.
3.4 SAND DRAINS

The use of sand drains is another way to

accelerate the consolidation settlement of soft,
nor- mally consolidated clay layers and achieve
precompression before the construction of a
desired foundation.
Sand drains are constructed by drilling holes
through the clay layer(s) in the field at regular
intervals.
This can be achieved by several means, such as
(a) rotary drilling and then backfilling with sand;
(b) drilling by continuous-flight auger with a hollow
stem and backfilling with sand (through the hollow
steam); and (c) driving hollow steel piles.
. Following figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of
sand drains.

FIG.3: SAND DRAINS

3.5 SOIL NAILING

Soil nailing is a construction technique used to

reinforce soil to make it more stable.
It is used for slopes, excavations, retaining walls
etc. to make it more stable.
In this technique, soil is reinforced with slender
elements such as reinforcing bars which are
called as nails.
It is just an alternate to retaining wall structures.
Soil nailing technique is used for slopes or
excavations alongside highways, railway lines
etc. Following figure 4 shows soil nailing in
railway construction:

FIG.4 : SOIL NAILING

DETAILS
TYPES OF SOIL NAILING:

There are various types of soil nailing techniques:

1 . Grouted Soil Nailing:
In this type of soil nailing, the holes are drilled in walls or slope face and then nails are inserted in the pre-
drilled holes.
2. Driven Nails:
In this method, the nails are driven in the slope face during excavation. This method is very fast, but
does not provide corrosion protection to the reinforcement steel or nails.
3. Self-drilling Soil Nail:
In this method, the hollow bars are used. Hollow bars are drilled into the slope surface and grout is
injected simultaneously during the drilling process. This method of soil nailing is faster than grouted
nailing.
4. Jet Grouted Soil Nail:
In this method, jets are used for eroding the soil for creating holes in the slope surface. Steel bars are
then installed in this hole and grouted with concrete.
5. Launched Soil Nail:
In this method of soil nailing, the steel bars are forced into the soil with very high speed using
compressed air mechanism.
 3.6 GEOGRID:
Ageogridisgeosyntheticmaterial used to reinforce
soils and similar materials. These are commonly
used to reinforceretaining walls, as well as
subbases or subsoils below roads or structures.
Geogrids are commonly made
ofpolymermaterials, such aspolyester,Polyvinyl
alcohol, polyethylene or polyproylene.
The development of methods of preparing
relatively rigidpolymericmaterials
bytensiledrawing, in a sense "cold working,"
raised the possibility that such materials could be
used in the reinforcement of soils for walls, steep
slopes,roadway basesandfoundationsoils.
The key feature of all geogrids is that the openings
between the adjacent sets of longitudinal and
transverse ribs, called apertures, are large
enough to allow for soil strike-through from one
side of the geogrid to the other.
As discussed later, not only is rib strength
FIG.5: DIFFERENT TYPES OF GEOGRIDS.
important, but junction strength is also important.
 3.7LIME STABILIZATION

Admixtures are occasionally used to stabilize soils in the field particularly fine-
grained soils.
The most common admixtures are lime, cement, and limefly ash. The main
purposes of stabilizing the soil are to (a) modify the soil, (b) expedite construction,
and (c) improve the strength and durability of the soil.
The types of lime commonly used to stabilize fine-grained soils are hydrated high-
calcium lime Ca (OH) 2, calcitic quicklime (CaO), monohydrated dolomitic lime Ca
(OH) 2 - MgO , and dolomitic quicklime.
Lime Stabilization in the Field
Lime stabilization in the field can be done in three ways.
1. The in situ material or the borrowed material can be mixed with the proper amount
of lime at the site and then compacted after the addition of moisture.
2. The soil can be mixed with the proper amount of lime and water at a plant and then
hauled back to the site for compaction.
3. Lime slurry can be pressure injected into the soil to a depth of 4 to 5 m.
3.8 CEMENT STABILIZATION
Cement is being increasingly used as a stabilizing material for soil, particularly in the
construction of highways and earth dams.
Cement can be used to stabilize sandy and clayey soils.
Cement stabilization is effective for clayey soils when the liquid limit is less than 45 to 50
and the plasticity index is less than about 25.

3.9 SAND COMPACTION

PILES
Sand compaction piles are similar to stone columns, and they can be used in marginal
sites to improve stability, control liquefaction, and reduce the settlement of various
structures.
Built in soft clay, these piles can significantly accelerate the pore water pressure-
dissipation process and hence the time for consolidation.
Sand compaction piles are constructed by driving a hollow mandrel with its bottom
closed during driving.
. Sand is poured from the top of the mandrel and is compacted in steps by applying air
pressure as the mandrel is withdrawn.