L1 and L2

Introduction
■ Best buildable lands not available for construction
■ Available sites are having low strength because
 Filled up sites,
 Low lying water logged,
 Waste lands,
 Creek lands with deep deposits of soft saturated marine clays
■ Another problem: Design loads are high and the site is situated in seismic zones

Ground improvement potentials:

Mechanical properties are not sufficient
Low bearing capacity
Swelling soil
Shrinking soil
Liquifaction of soil
Collapsible soil or soft soils
Organic and peat soils
Foundations on dumps and sanitary landfills
Use of old mine pits
Dredged materials

Alternatives if project encounters difficult ground

• Avoid particular site
• Design the planned structure accordingly
• Remove and replace unsuitable soils
• Attempt to modify the existing ground.

Need for Ground Improvement

o Project encounters difficult foundation soil
o Prevent removal of unsuitable soils
o To modify the existing ground
o Enable cost effective foundation design
o Reduce the effects of contaminated soils
o Ensure sustainability in construction projects using ground improvement
techniques.

What is Ground Improvement?

■ Ground Improvement refers to a technique that improves the engineering
properties of the soil mass treated.
■ Usually, the properties that are modified are shear strength, stiffness and
permeability.
■ Ground improvement has developed into a sophisticated tool to support
foundations for a wide variety of structures.
Classification of Ground Improvement Technique
Mechanical modification
Hydraulic modification
Physical and chemical modification
Modifications by inclusions and confinement

Mechanical modification
Soil density is increased by the application of short-term external mechanical forces,
including compaction of surface layers by:
 Static,
 Vibratory,
 Impact rollers,
 Plate vibrators.
Deep compaction by heavy tamping at the surface or vibration at depth

Hydraulic modification
Free –pore water is forced out of the soil via (by means of) drains of wells.
- In coarse grained soils,
This is achieved by lowering the ground water level through pumping from boreholes or
trenches.
- - In fine-grained soils,
The long term application of external loads (preloading) or electrical forces (electrokinetic
stabilization) is required.

Physical and chemical modification

Additives include:
- natural soils
- industrial by-products or waste materials (fly ash, slag),
- Cementitious and other chemicals (lime, cement) which react with each other and
the ground.
When additives are injected via boreholes under pressure into the voids within the ground
or between it and a structure, the process is called GROUTING.
- Soil stabilization by heating the ground and by freezing the ground are THERMAL
METHODS OF MODIFICATION.
- Heating evaporates water and causes permanent changes in the mineral
structure of soils.
- Freezing solidifies part or all of the water and bonds individual particles
together

Modification by inclusion and confinement

Reinforcement by:
• Fibers,
• Strips
• Bars,
• Meshes and
• Fabrics.
Insitu reinforcement is achieved by nails and anchors.

How to choose the method?

■ Soil type – clay, organic, porous sand etc
■ Area and depth of treatment required – depend on the geometric characteristics of
soil deposit and nature of facilities proposed for construction.
■ Type of structure and load distribution
■ Soil properties – strength, compressibility, permeability etc
■ Permissible total and differential settlements
■ Material availability – stone, sand, water, admixture, stabilizers, etc
■ Availability of skills and equipment
■ Environmental considerations- waste disposal, erosion, water pollution, etc
■ Local experiences and preferences
■ Economics

Objectives of Ground Improvement techniques

- Improve soil as foundation or construction material
- Increase strength, reduce erodibility
- Reduce distortion under stress
- Reduce compressibility
- Control shrinking and swelling
- Control permeability, reduce water pressure, redirect seepage
- Prevent detrimental physical or chemical changes due to environmental conditions
- Reduce susceptibility to liquefaction.

Emerging Trends of Ground Improvement techniques

■ Environmental Geotechnics – modification of waste materials, subsidence due to
mining, quality and flow of ground water, reduce pollution dust.
■ Containment and constructive use of waste materials- rehabilitation of waste
disposal areas, utilization of waste materials
■ Low cost building with soil- adobe and mud bricks
■ Metallic reinforcement and geosynthetics