An investigation into the performance of vibrated stone columns under triaxial loading conditions

This paper describes an innovative design of a newly developed large triaxial system for testing the settlement performance of footings supported on soft clay reinforced with granular columns. Two important features of the equipment are (a) an axial loading system which allows samples to be consolidated under Ko condition while the load is applied on a small foundation area of the sample and (b) a relatively large sample size of 300mm diameter and 400mm high. The system is also equipped with pressure cells located beneath the footing and top cap to measure the pressure distribution with respect to foundation displacement and a lateral strain gauge to monitor boundary effects. This paper reports on some of the early findings from the laboratory investigation carried out using this equipment. The tests have yielded promising results, validating the functionality of the equipment and support the prospect of increasing the knowledge with respect to settlement response of a footing supported on granular columns.