th

Proceedings of the 11 International Conference on

New Trends in Statics and Dynamics of Buildings
October 3-4, 2013 Bratislava, Slovakia
Faculty of Civil Engineering STU Bratislava
Slovak Society of Mechanics SAS

THE INFLUENCE OF STONE COLUMNS FORMATION

TECHNIQUE ON THE CONSOLIDATION TIME OF THE
SURROUNDING SOIL
P. T. Kanty1 and J .A. Sękowski2

Abstract
Stone columns could be formed in two methods: dynamic replacement (DR) or vibro replacement (VR). Both
techniques are often used to strengthen the weak soils under road embankment. It is said that stone column itself
works as a drainage influencing the consolidation time of surrounding soil. But there is no knowledge how the
column installation technique influences this time.
The thesis was put forward that the heavy tamping in dynamic replacement method extends the consolidation
time of ground near the column. To verify this thesis, a series of laboratory tests were conducted. Three DR
columns and three VR columns were modeled on a geometric scale of 1:40. As weak ground, silty clay in soft
state was used. The columns were formed from gravel. They were under constant load over 60 days. The
consolidation curves, ground uplift, moisture of soils and columns shape were taken under consideration.

Key Words
Dynamic replacement; vibro replacement; stone columns; laboratory tests, psychical modeling,

1 INTRODUCTION
Both, Dynamic Replacement (DR) and Vibro Replacement (VR) techniques are used to reinforce weak soils
(especially soils which can be significantly compressed, e.g. soils with organic content, weak clay soils and loose
anthropogenic soils).
In dynamic replacement method the soil is reinforced by initially dropping a large weight (typically 8-20 t) from
a significant height up to 25m (fig.1a) [11]. The created crater is filled with a stronger material (gravel, rubble,
stone aggregate, debris), and the weight is dropped once or multiple times again. Further on, the created crater is
again filled with the stronger material and the procedure continues, usually to the point where the dropped
weight does not penetrate the soil any further. The procedure results in a column of a stronger material, which
can sustain much higher loads than the soil in its initial condition. In Poland, the most common column diameter
is about 2.5 m and their length is up to 5 m [8].
In vibro replacement method, columns are formed with a special vibrator (fig.1b). First of all, the vibrator
penetrates the soil up to the designed depth. Coarse aggregate is introduced to the air chamber with the lock
located in the upper part of the vibrator. Then it is moved towards escape hole placed at the bottom, in the
vibrator tip. The aggregate leaves the vibrator tip as the vibrator is pulled up. In the next stage, while the vibrator

1
MSc. P. T. Kanty, ul.Akademicka 5, 44-100 Gliwice, (+48) 505 289 792, piotr.kanty@polsl.pl
2
Prof. J. A. Sękowski, ul.Akademicka 5, 44-100 Gliwice, (+48) 32 237 15 43, jerzy.sekowski@polsl.pl
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11 International Conference on New Trends in Statics and Dynamics of Buildings October 2013, Bratislava

is pulled up in a reciprocating motion, the aggregate is compacted and pressed to the sides. The columns formed
with vibro replacement method are also known as gravel columns. Their diameters vary between 0.6 and 1.2 m
and they are up to 45 m long. The column diameter depends on the vibrator dimensions.
a) b)

Fig. 1. Equipment used for formation of a) DR columns, b) VR columns

In case of both methods the ground surrounding the column is also strengthened, as the created column acts as
a drain to the original, now somewhat compressed, soil which aids its consolidation.
While analytical methods of designing vibro-column reinforcement exist [4], [9], there are no algorithms relating
to driven columns which would take into account the specific method of their construction [4], [5], [7]. While
designing such columns, two factors are taken into consideration: column's bearing capacity and settlements of
the system consisting of column and its surrounding [7]. Projects that take into account drainage effect are very
rare. International literature describes this effect when it comes to VR columns [1], [2], [3], whereas for DR
columns it has not been examined yet. One of the few attempts to tackle this topic are model research described
in [12], [13]. The research described below are the first attempt of the authors to determine the efficiency of DR
column drainage in comparison to VR column.

2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

2.1 Description of test stand

The thesis was put forward that impulse effects occurring while the column is rammed extends the time of soil
consolidation. This effect was examined in case of prefabricated drains [10] and VR columns [14]. To verify it,
a series of laboratory model tests were conducted for three vibro replacement and three dynamic replacement
columns. After the tests, changes of soil moisture depending on the distance to the column were verified.
The tests were conducted in geometric scale 1:40. Dimensions of the rammer used in test were 40 times smaller
than the dimensions of a real rammer. Each column was formed in a tube of 30 cm diameter and 30 cm height.
The tube diameter were 40 times smaller than the influence area determined in in situ test [6]. Each column was
formed in a tube of 30 cm diameter and 30 cm height. The tubes were filled with sand up to the height of 12.5
cm and then a layer of silty clay of the same thickness was placed. Both materials were placed layer by layer and
compacted until their bulk density reached the values indicated in Table 1. The tube was placed on non-woven
geotextile fabric, which allowed water to drain freely. Soil parameters used in the research (table 1) were
determined on the basis of standard laboratory tests.
DR columns were formed with a 200 g cylindrical weight which was 5 cm in height and 2.5 cm in diameter.
Every column was formed by 10 drops from a height of 70 cm and 3 drops from 35 cm. After each drop, the
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11 International Conference on New Trends in Statics and Dynamics of Buildings October 2013, Bratislava

formed crater was refilled. During the process of column formation, ground uplift of the surrounding soil was
measured. To form VR columns, a 5-cm-diameter tube was screwed in up to the demanded depth and then
unscrewed, removing the soil on the surface of the ground. In order to prevent dynamic effects, the column
material was not compacted, as in real conditions when the vibrator is pulled out in a reciprocating motion. The
formed crater was filled from above with gravel.
Even though the gravel that the columns were formed from differed in density, volumes of both columns were
similar ((DR column – 1200cm3, VR column – 1140cm3),

’ c‘ k10 Mo [MPa] for wini d cu

Soil type
[o ] [kPa] [cm/s] =2,5-5,0kPa [%] [g/cm3] [kPa]
silty clay 9 27 2,6*10-6 0,27 46,6 1,20 13
sand 41 0 0,01535 5,78 0,1 1,91 -
gravel 44 0 0,09690 7,14 0,1 1,70 (VR) - 1,84 (DR) -
Tab. 1. Soil parameters used in the test research

Once the columns have been completed (fig. 2a), steel loads of total mass about 39.3 kg were placed on each
sample. Steel loads (fig. 2b) were put one by one on the surface of the samples. The operation lasted
approximately 10 minutes. Thus, stress of about 5.6 kPa was induced. Sensors of accuracy 0.001 mm were used
to measure vertical displacements. While the loads were being placed, three sensors located close to the edges
performed the measurements. After few hours, only one sensor located in the center of the upper load was used
(fig.2b).
The measurements were conducted during 1440 hours (60 days). The readings were performed initially every
10 seconds and every 2 minutes and on further stages – every 20 minutes.
a) b)

Fig.2. Samples used in tests: a) before the loads were applied b) with steel loads on the surface

2.2 Moisture changes tests

60 days later, after final vertical displacements have been registered test systems were successively dismantled
and samples were taken to perform moisture tests. Simultaneously, columns shape was inventoried.
Samples for moisture tests were taken from 5 levels: 4 and 8 cm (sand), 14, 18 and 22 cm (silty clay) -
measuring from the bottom of the tube. At each level, 12 samples were taken: four at 4, 8 and 12 cm from the
column axis. They were taken from perpendicular axes of the tube. Moreover, 5 samples of material were
collected from different levels on the axis of the system. In total, the moisture of almost 400 samples was
examined. The moisture values of samples taken from the same localization were averaged.
Consolidation curves obtained from measurements of vertical displacements were processed in spreadsheet. The
results were interpreted on the basis of the average value from the measurements.
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11 International Conference on New Trends in Statics and Dynamics of Buildings October 2013, Bratislava

3 RESULTS
Moisture change varying depending on the distance from the column and consolidation curves of column-weak
soil system presented below are the key results of the research. The research measured also weak soil uplift and
stone columns shape. However, they are not the object of detailed analysis in this paper.

3.1 Consolidation
There are no significant differences (~10%) between the consolidation settlements registered for DR column and
VR column (fig. 3a). Settlements of DR system are smaller probably because of the difference in column
material density. DR column material is more compacted. Smaller settlements may also be the results of the
column formation method itself, which changes the parameters of the surrounding soil.
a) b)

Fig. 3. Consolidation curves of DR and VR columns systems: a) natural scale, b) logarithmic time scale

It is noteworthy that the consolidation curves are almost perpendicular from the beginning. The only difference
can be seen when the load is placed (fig. 3b). Thus, it seems that on this scale, the method of column formation
does not influence the consolidation time of the column surrounding. The consolidation settlement value will
depend on filtration parameters of the system and on the column material density.

3.2 Moisture
Samples for moisture investigation were collected as described above. Initially, the average value of silty clay
moisture for DR column was 46.5% and for VR – 46.7%. Sand moisture was the same for both columns – 0.1%.
After 60 days of consolidation, soil moisture varied depending on the distance from the column. Figures 4 and 5
present the results of the investigation.

Fig. 4. Results of silty clay moisture investigation

It has been observed that the moisture of both silty clay (fig.4) and sand (fig.5) is higher for driven column in
almost every measuring point. The differences are insignificant (about 0.5%). Higher moisture values for DR
columns system may be related to lower filtration capacity of these columns.
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11 International Conference on New Trends in Statics and Dynamics of Buildings October 2013, Bratislava

Fig. 5. Results of sand moisture investigation

The inclination of moisture measurements results is noticeable in both cases (fig.6). In the upper part of the
system (h=22cm), moisture values are similar and are not influenced by the distance from the column (=0.5%).
It is clearly visible in the lower part of silty clay (h=14cm) that the moisture value drops in the vicinity of the
column and rises next to the tube sides (=2.0-3.0%). When it comes to sand, the differences are not big
(=0.5%), but moisture values tend to be higher under the column. The measurements indicated the highest
moisture values under the column and the lowest – in sand adjacent to the tube sides. These observations indicate
the existence of vertical and horizontal water flow in the analyzed system. The influence of vertical filtration is
distinctive.

Fig. 6. The results of soil moisture tests of the measurement system

4 OBSERVATIONS
The described tests showed no visible difference in the course of consolidation process of column-weak soil
system for DR and VR columns. On the basis on small scale tests, it can be stated that the settlement value is
determined by time, way of load placing, volume and density of drain material and not by the method of column
formation. However, it should be noted that driven columns were formed in soil with a 200 g rammer, whereas
in natural scale a rammer of 10 t is used. There is a risk that, due to small drop energy obtained in laboratory,
some of the process occurring in situ may not have taken place during the investigation. Moisture tests showed
only a little difference in consolidation of the two systems, which should be considered as negligible in
designing. However, the analysis of processes occurring during the reinforcement construction clearly indicates
that there are tendencies to changes.
In future, the authors' aim is to carry out numerical analysis reflecting the presented research, compare the results
with the measurements of a system without the column and perform other series of tests on a bigger scale.
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11 International Conference on New Trends in Statics and Dynamics of Buildings October 2013, Bratislava

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