A physical modeling study on the load -deformation behavior of geosynthetic reinforced stone columns

Abstract

The stone column applications have emerged in Europe as a soil improvement method half a decade ago. This method can be applied on all kinds of soils, and it is generally preferred in places where soft and medium clays are present and soft soil layers are not very deep. Within this study, physical tests were performed on small scale single stone column models. As a result of the performed tests, it was observed that the settlement amount of the stone column decreased significantly when the stone column is surrounded by geotextiles and/or geogrids. It was observed that settlement of a shallow foundation supported by geotextile reinforced stone columns may reach up to 36%.