Bearing Capacity Effect of Soft Clay with Sand Compaction Piles

Teena George, Hari.G

Abstract: An expansive soil is to be source of trouble to civil engineering as its strength, volume and compressibility changes tremendously on wetting. Sand compaction piles are one of the most widely used ground improvement techniques in case of soft clays. They increase the bearing capacity and reduce the settlements of soft clays. This paper is an attempt to investigate the load carrying capacity of soft clay with and without sand compaction piles through laboratory model tests conducted on single and group sand compaction piles by varying diameter, length and spacing of sand compaction piles.

Keywords: Sand compaction piles, expansive soil, bearing capacity, undrained shear strength, stone columns