Offshore Stone Columns

Offshore Stone Columns
Wilhelm Degen, Betterground (HK) Ltd.
Engineered Ground Improvement
Saturday, November 29, 14
Wilhelm L. Degen, son

of Johann Degen,
co-owner of Johann
Keller since 1920 and
Managing Director and
Chief Engineer of Keller
until his death in 1970.
He owned numerous
patents, including the
depth vibrator for Vibro
Compaction (together
with Sergej Steuermann),
and various pioneering
Stone Column related
patents.
W. L. Degen invented the

Stone Column method.
Wilhelm F. Degen and Franz

Elchkorn developed the first
range of high performance
electrical Vibroflots, utilizing
revolutionary internal
design, facilitating a unique
penetration capacity, which
will enable this generation of
machines to reach numerous
world-depths record in the
future.
HISTORY OF BETTERGROUND
History of Betterground
1901-1970
1900
Expansion of the Vibroflotation

companies into Germany and
Far East .
1958
1938
1978
1974
Together with their

father, Wilhelm F. Degen,
Alexander M. Degen and
Wilhelm S. Degen set
up Vibroflotation AG, an
equipment manufacturing
facility in Switzerland. They
developed the Gravel
Pump, the Vibro Stitcher
and the Marine Gravel
Pump together with
designers Franz Eichkorn
and Beda Klin.
1986
1980
Vibroflotation equipment dominated the

Vibro Compaction market in Germany for
lignite mining slope stability projects of
over 70m in depth, with a total volume of
over 1 billion cubic meters.
Betterground Ltd.
(Switzerland) was founded
in early 2009 and was
immediately joined by the
most experienced technical
experts in the world.
Betterground has license and JV agreements in

place with geotechnical specialty contractors
in Australia, Austria, Canada, Chile, Croatia,
Germany, Greece, Spain, UAE and other GCC
countries, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Peru,
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, USA, Vietnam and
New Zealand.
One of the first projects of

Betterground equipment was
the Palm Deira in Dubai, the
largest Vibro Compaction
project in history
1994-2001
1990 - 1996
2009
2001 - 2009
2009 - 2013
2012 - 2013
Johannes Degen and the

children of Wilhelm L. Degen
sold their shares in the Keller
Group of companies after
continuous years of expansion.
Wilhelm. F. Degen (son of
Wilhelm L. Degen) bought
the Vibroflotation Foundation
Company, Pittsburgh, PA, from
Sergey Steuermann.
Johann Degen bought the

Johann Keller Company
in Germany in 1900 and
managed its rise from a local
well drilling company to a
regional market leader,largely
expanding into the
surrounding countries. After
his early death in 1903, his
wife, old Mr. Keller and Johann
Degens brother Wilhelm
managed the company
through hard times until its
transition to sons Johannes
and Wilhelm in 1920.
World record on deep vibro

compaction by Vibroflotation
at Jebba Dam, Nigeria
Mr. Sergey Steuermann,
co-inventor of the
Vibroflot, left Germany
and set up the
Vibroflotation Foundation
Company, Pittsburgh,
PA, pioneering in Vibro
Compaction in the USA.
Licence agreements
between Soletanche
S.A., in France and
Vibroflotation AG and a
Joint venture between
Vibroflotation AG and
Bachy-Soletanche were
established in Hong Kong.
Soletanche Bachy took a 70% share

in The Vibroflotation Group and
eventually took over the company in
2006 entirely. The relationship ended
in a three year non competition
undertaking by Wilhelm and Alexander
Degen during which both brothers
were consulting The Vibroflotation
Group on numerous international key
projects.
Betterground supports China Harbour

Engineering Co. with low headroom offshore
stone column equipment, site supervision
and engineering support on the Hong Kong
Boundary Crossing Facility project, With over
one million linear meters of marine Stone
Columns, it is the largest project of its kind in
history.
Design/Build: Building Blocks of Success
S a l es , Re n ta l , J oi n t Ve nt u re s
Betterground Ltd.
Specialized Equipment
Service & Repair
Methods Expertise
Soilmechanics GmbH
Betterground Ltd.
Design Support
Tender Submittal Support
Service & Repair
Quality Control Support
Methods Expertise
Local Contractor
Soilmechanics GmbH
Betterground Ltd.
Design Support
Service & Repair
Methods Expertise
PROJECT
Local Contractor
Soilmechanics GmbH
Betterground Ltd.
Design Support
Service & Repair
Methods Expertise
PROJECT
Local Contractor
Soilmechanics GmbH
Betterground Ltd.
Design Support
Service & Repair
Methods Expertise
Financing
Standard equipment
Local market knowledge
Specialty equipment & service
Vibro Methods Expert
Soil mechanical design & site support
Betterground Clients, Partner Firms, and Licensees worldwide
Arabic Peninsula: NSCC

Austria, Germany: Porr AG
Canada: Vancouver Piledriving
Chile, Peru: Pilotes Terratest
Croatia: GK Grupa
Greece: Aktor
Hong Kong: China Harbor Engineering Co.
Russia: Geoizol
Thailand: CetEau
USA: Malcolm Drilling, Peter Kiewit & Sons, Earth Tech, Moretrench
Worldwide JVs from case to case: BAUER Spezialtiefbau
Singapore and Australia from case to case: McConnell-Dowell
1995: Chek Lap Kok Airport Platform

Bachy Soletanche uses Vibroflotations equipment to compact Chek Lap Kok Airport platform in Hong Kong.
5
2001: Pennys Bay, Hong Kong

Bachy Soletanche uses Vibroflotations equipment and expert support to compact the reclamation sands to over 30 m depth through 17 m of compact fill above groundwater.
6
7
Installation of Stone Columns offshore.
7
Introduction to land-based installation methods
7

Explanation why the top feed stone column method does not work very well when carried out offshore.
7

Description of novel Low Headroom Offshore Stone Column rig
7

Example projects
7

Example projects
7

Example projects
Design purpose for offshore stone columns
7

Example projects
Slope stability, but also liquefaction prevention and static settlement reduction
7

Example projects
7

Example projects
Quality Control
7

Example projects
Quality Control
New Operator Guidance System assuring quality during installation phase
7

Example projects
Quality Control

Load testing of stone columns
7

Example projects
Quality Control

Soil sounding post treatment
7

Example projects
Quality Control

Soil sounding post treatment
7
Wet Top Feed Method: Why it doesn't work well under water
8
8
8
8
8
Dry Bottom Feed Stone Column Installation
9
Bottom Feed Skip Bucket Rig
A bucket (6) transports stones into hopper

(7) from where they fall through gate (9)
into receiver tank (5). From there the
stones fall into silo tube (4) and flow
ultimately through tremie pipe (3) into the
stone column (1).
11
The depth vibrator (2) pushes the stones

into the soil by vibration and up and down
movements of the rig via crane (11) and
lifting head (8).
10

stone column (1).
11

lifting head (8).
10

stone column (1).
11

lifting head (8).
10

stone column (1).
11

lifting head (8).
10

stone column (1).
11

lifting head (8).
10
Boleo Mining, Mexico - with Vancouver Piledriving Co.
11
Slope Stability with Stone Columns
Slope Stability
with Stone Columns
12
Slope Stability Repair
13
Installed into slope with

reach > 70 m, hence no
need for installation
berms.
13

berms.
5 m wide zone on crest
enough for GP1 Transport
Unit.
13

berms.
Unit.
Perfect gravel installation
log thanks to defined
volume gravel batches.
13

berms.
Unit.
Columns drain AND
increase shear strength.
13

berms.
Unit.
Columns drain AND
Capability to target larger
column diameter in soft
soils.
13

berms.
Unit.
Columns drain AND
Capability to target larger
column diameter in soft
soils.
13
Gravelpump GP1
60
Marine stone columns - Patras (Greece)
15
15
15
Offshore Stone Columns: Port of Patras, Greece
16
BART Tunnel - View from the barge
17
2012: Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facility
18
Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facility - Status in April 2014
19
HKBCF Cross Section: Stone Columns over an approx. 70 wide zone under the slopes of the embankment
20
Layout of Treatment Area and zone of extremely low headroom
Total Stone Column

Total&Stone&Column&
=1,096,075 lin. m.
=&1,096,075&lin.m&
&
Extreme Low Headroom Areas
21
Land based rigs on crawler crane
Problem under Low

Headroom Conditions:
Non usable length
22
Betterground offshore rig for extreme and for moderate AHR requirement
Non usable
length = ZERO
Additional
submersible
length: 6 m
Non usable
length
23
Airport Height Restriction
24
24
24
24
Movie: Running 30 times faster
25
Wick Drains & Surcharge as preparation for later Stone Column treatment
10
15
20
25
Cu [kPa]
10
20
Depth [m]
26
1. Apply 2 m of fill
10
15
20
25
Cu [kPa]
10
20
Depth [m]
26
2. Install Wick Drains to only 10 m depth
10
15
20
25
Cu [kPa]
10
20
Depth [m]
26
10
15
20
25
Cu [kPa]
10
20
Depth [m]
26
10
15
20
25
Cu [kPa]
10
20
Depth [m]
26
3. Wait for 80% consolidation in wick drain treated zone
10
15
20
25
Cu [kPa]
10
20
Depth [m]
26
4. Install tapered stone columns
10
15
20
25
Cu [kPa]
10
20
Depth [m]
26
5. Fill to +2.5 mPD
10
15
20
25
Cu [kPa]
10
20
Depth [m]
26
5. Fill to +2.5 mPD
6. Wait for 50% consolidation in Stone Column zone
10
15
20
25
Cu [kPa]
10
20
Depth [m]
26
5. Fill to +2.5 mPD
6. Wait for 50% consolidation in Stone Column zone
7. Fill to +5.5 mPD and surcharge in Hinterland
10
15
20
25
Cu [kPa]
10
20
Depth [m]
26
Quality Control
27
Quality Control
Visual inspection
27
Quality Control
Visual inspection
Digital records of installed column geometry
27
Quality Control
Visual inspection
Cone penetration test, vane shear test, before and after treatment
27
Quality Control
Visual inspection
Monitoring of induced settlement after treatment
27
Quality Control
Visual inspection
Full scale load test or very well instrumented smaller scale test
27
Quality Control
Visual inspection
Full scale load test or very well instrumented smaller scale test
27
Visual Inspection
Puerto Rico, Convention

Centre
28
Quality Control Recorder
29
30
What is better? Ampere over Depth OR Ampere over Time ?
31

0m
10 m
20 m
31

0m
10 m
20 m
31

0m
10 m
20 m
31

0m
10 m
20 m
31
Quality Control Record: Here with semi-automatic operator guidance system
Different installation targets

in the sand and silt:
Silt
Constant diameter column.
Sand
Column with good Ampere
response from soil, showing
good compaction, column
diameter not relevant but
target to achieve at least
75cm.
SILT
SAND
32
Load Testing
Load Testing
33
Surcharge load test: Can be done easily also for underwater treatment areas.
34
Zone load test using jack and dial gauges: Next to impossible to do under water
35
5 m x 5 m trial load with the aim to extrapolate the behavior of a large diameter (over 70 m) oil tank
36
Soil Sounding: Comparison SPT with CPT
37
Load Test 5 m x 5 m Plate and 150 kPa, Soil layering from CPT and borehole information
38
5 m x 5 m Trial Pad: Instrumentation necessary to gain information for back-calculation with Plaxis 3D
39
Plaxis 3D: Columns at working load level, outward deformation of perimeter columns already visible
40
Plaxis 3D: Stone Column Foundation at Ultimate Load
This sideways buckling does not happen

in a large area treatment like under an
embankment.
This here is a small footing with only 7
columns
41
Principal Stress Trajectories show stress attraction into columns
Crosses show Sigma 1 (mainly ver4cal) and Sigma 3 (mainly horizontal) stresses.
Under foo4ng Sigma 1 is 150 kPa, as it should be.
In the upper Clay (purple) the stresses in the Columns reach 400 kPa.
400 kPa means stress concentra4on factor 400/150 = 2.66.
In the silty and sandy soils stresses distribute almost equally between columns and soil.
In the lower Clay (9.5 m down, blue layer) the columns again concentrate stresses on themselves.
42
Soil Sounding
Soil Sounding
43
CPT Testing after stone column installation in marine clays
44
44
44
44
In Marine Clays Post CPTs instantly after treatment would not show any improvement of tip resistance as
this can be shown for the more sandy layers in the below example from Pier 400 in Los Angeles.
44
In Marine Clays the instant improvement provided is accelerated drainage and instant increase in shear
strength of the compound material Soil & Column, not an increase in tip resistance of the soil itself.
44
In Marine Clays the instant improvement provided is accelerated drainage and instant increase in shear
strength of the compound material Soil & Column, not an increase in tip resistance of the soil itself.
Field vane tests, done months after treatment, can give valuable confirmation of soil strengthening.
44
Summary of this presentation
45
Wet Top Feed Stone Columns are not recommended for offshore projects due to quality concerns.
45
Extreme Airport Height Restriction requires custom built equipment. A few meters more height clearance
would go a long way in saving cost.
45
In soft Marine Deposits tapered stone columns (in top thicker diameter than bottom) in combination with
wick drains and surcharge are a way to save time and cost.
45
Under water visual inspection of columns is not possible. This makes logging of installation parameters
more important.
45
more important.
To identify defective columns, printout of process parameters must be over time not over depth.
45
more important.
The patented Betterground Operator Guidance System makes it obsolete to use operators with many
years of experience. Operators with zero stone column experience built equally good columns.
45
more important.
Load testing of stone columns over a limited area needs to be well instrumented to allow for proper back
calculations with 3D simulation software.
45
more important.
Load needs to be applied gradually and not instantly onto Stone Columns to allow for drainage of soil
around columns. It is the matrix of Soil & Columns that bears the load, not the columns alone.
45
more important.
Load needs to be applied gradually and not instantly onto Stone Columns to allow for drainage of soil
around columns. It is the matrix of Soil & Columns that bears the load, not the columns alone.
45

Offshore Stone Columns

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Offshore Stone Columns

Wilhelm Degen, Betterground (HK) Ltd.

Engineered Ground Improvement

Saturday, November 29, 14

Wilhelm L. Degen, son

W. L. Degen invented the

Wilhelm F. Degen and Franz

Expansion of the Vibroflotation

Together with their

Vibroflotation equipment dominated the

Betterground has license and JV agreements in

One of the first projects of

Johannes Degen and the

Johann Degen bought the

Saturday, November 29, 14

World record on deep vibro

Soletanche Bachy took a 70% share

Betterground supports China Harbour

Engineered Ground Improvement

Design/Build: Building Blocks of Success

Saturday, November 29, 14

Design/Build: Building Blocks of Success

Saturday, November 29, 14

Design/Build: Building Blocks of Success

Tender Submittal Support

Service & Repair

Quality Control Support

Saturday, November 29, 14

Design/Build: Building Blocks of Success

Tender Submittal Support

Service & Repair

Quality Control Support

Saturday, November 29, 14

Design/Build: Building Blocks of Success

Tender Submittal Support

Service & Repair

Quality Control Support

Saturday, November 29, 14

Design/Build: Building Blocks of Success

Tender Submittal Support

Service & Repair

Quality Control Support

Saturday, November 29, 14

Betterground Clients, Partner Firms, and Licensees worldwide

Arabic Peninsula: NSCC

Saturday, November 29, 14

1995: Chek Lap Kok Airport Platform

2001: Pennys Bay, Hong Kong