Experimental Investigation of Geosynthetic Encased Conventional Aggregate and Fly Ash Brick Bats Columns on Soft Clay

• Published in: International journal of pavement research & technology Vol. 16; no. 1; pp. 109 - 127
• Main Authors: Selvakumar, Subburaj, Kulanthaivel, Ponnusamy, Soundara, Balu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Nature Singapore 01.01.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Bearing strength; Bricks; Building Construction and Design; Civil Engineering; Clay soils; Engineering; Fly ash; Geosynthetics; Load carrying capacity; Load tests; Model testing; Numerical analysis; Original Research Paper; Soft clay; Soils; Structural Materials; Conventional aggregate column; Fly ash brick bats column; Geosynthetics; Load test; Encasement; Soft clay
• ISSN: 1996-6814; 1997-1400
• DOI: 10.1007/s42947-021-00118-x

A series of laboratory model tests have been carried out to examine the behavior of non-encased and geogrid encased conventional aggregate column (CAC) and fly ash brick bats column (FAC) resting on soft clay soil. In the present study, a series of load tests were carried out in a circular model tank of size 300 mm diameter and 400 mm height on soft clay soil with one, two and three columns of conventional aggregate (CA) and fly ash brick bats (FA). The experimental variables fixed in this study were aggregate type (CA and FA), encasement depth (non-encased, partially encased and fully encased), different length to diameter ( l / d ) ratio (8 and 10) and diameter of columns (30 mm and 40 mm). Based on the experimental results, it was seen that CAC have higher load capacity than FAC and the improvement was 2.72 times greater than untreated soft soil. The fully encased geogrid CAC possess higher load carrying capacity and the order of improvement was 3.63 times larger than untreated soft soil. In addition to that the load capacity of CAC and FAC increased with increasing the l / d ratio and diameter of CAC and FAC. The 40 mm diameter FAC possesses higher load capacity and the load capacity improvement was identified as 1.12 times greater than 30 mm diameter FAC. Further, the experimental results were validated by numerical analysis.