Numerical Modelling of the Subsoil Zone between Stone Columns

Designing the improvement of soil using stone columns is usually based on simplified analytical or numerical models. Stone columns installed using a vibro-replacement technique can cause radial displacement of the original soil. It can cause radial compaction of the soil and increase the values of the strength and deformation properties, which are usually ignored in a practical design. The paper presents the results of a numerical analysis of a road embankment based on subsoil improved using stone columns. The changes in the properties of the original subsoil compacted by stone columns were analysed and taken into consideration in the models. The results showed that a model with homogenization of the subsoil and a model with stone columns transferred to continuous walls show similar results of the final settlement as well as the consolidation times. The differences between the values computed and measured were about 28 - 36 %. Taking into account the compacting effect of the original subsoil, the model with stone columns transferred to continuous walls allowed for the determination of more precise results when the difference between the values computed and measured was about 10 %.