Study of Behavior of Encased Columns Composed of Shredded Tyre Chips and Stone Aggregates in Kaolinite Clay Bed

• Published in: Geotechnical and geological engineering Vol. 41; no. 6; pp. 3733 - 3751
• Main Authors: Mazumder, Tanwee, Neeraj, Nishant, Ayothiraman, Ramanathan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.08.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aggregates; Bearing strength; Carrying capacity; Civil Engineering; Clay; Comparative analysis; Corrosion; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Finite element method; Geosynthetics; Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences; Hydrogeology; Kaolinite; Load carrying capacity; Original Paper; Pore water; Stone; Stone columns; Terrestrial Pollution; Ultimate loads; Waste Management/Waste Technology; Wire cloth; Stone columns; Geosynthetics; Shredded tyre chips; Encasement; Kaolinite clay; Sustained loading
• DOI: 10.1007/s10706-023-02484-8
• ISSN: 0960-3182

Ground improvement by the construction of stone columns has been widely adopted. This paper presents the results of an experimental study on ordinary and encased stone columns, made of different mix proportions of stone aggregates and shredded tyre chips, subjected to sustained loading, i.e., simulating long-term drained loading conditions. The load was applied in increments and each load increment was applied once the settlement became constant after considerable time under the previous load increment. Results showed a pronounced increase in ultimate load-carrying capacity of such columns as compared to that of pure clay bed, even when the columns were partially made of shredded tyre chips, with remarkable enhancement evident in encased columns. Comparative analysis revealed that these columns under sustained loading performed better than those under quick loading. The surcharge effect with drainage of pore water was evident under sustained loading. ‘Efficiency’ factor of columns was evaluated to examine the enhancement of load-carrying capacities of such columns with respect to conventional columns and to arrive at optimum/feasible mix proportions composing the columns. A study of the ‘ efficiency’ factor showed replacement of about 50% of stone aggregates with shredded tyre chips is possible in encased columns under sustained loading for all encasing materials tested. However, considering the corrosion of galvanized wire mesh over time, geosynthetics was found to be the efficient encasement material.