GROUND IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR HIGHWAYS

VISVESWARAIAH TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Jnana Sangama, Belgaum-590 014

TECHNICAL SEMINAR ON

GROUND IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR HIGHWAY

Submitted in partial fulfillment for the award of Degree Bachelor of Engineering
In

CIVIL ENGINEERING

BY NAVEEN J

4BW09CV028

BGSIT,BG NAGAR

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GROUND IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR HIGHWAYS

Signature of HOD Prof. DR.MAHADEVAIAH Dept. of CIVIL, BGSIT

Department of Civil Engineering

BGS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, B.G.Nagar, Nagamangala (Tq), Mandya-571448 2012-2013

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GROUND IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR HIGHWAYS

CONTENTS
Introduction Techniques of soil stabilization Methods of ground improvement techniques Conclusion Reference

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GROUND IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR HIGHWAYS

INTRODUTION
In developing country like India the biggest handicap to provide a complete network of road system is the limited finance available to built road by the conventional method. Therefore there is a need to resort to one of the suitable method of lowest cost road construction, followed by a process of stage developed of road ,to meet the growing needs of the road traffic. Thus apart from affecting economy in the initial construction cost of lower layer of the pavement such base course it should be possible to upgrade the low cost road to higher specification at a later date without involving appreciable wastage ,utilizing the principle of pavement construction in stage . The construction cost can be considerably decreased by selecting local material including local soil for y the construction of the lower layer of the pavement such as the sub base course .if the stability of the local layer soil is not adequate for supporting wheel load, the properties are improved by soil stabilization techniques .thus the principle of soil stabilized road constriction involves the effective utilization of local soil and other suitable stabilizing agent. Transportation - needed for the development of the country. The main mode of transportation is by road or highways.In the process of road development, the alignment of road may have to be fixed through the soils which may not bear the traffic loads.

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GROUND IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR HIGHWAYS

There are various techniques of ground improvement.

1. Methods for ground soil stabilization 2. Vertical drains 3. Capillary cut-off 4. Vibro compaction 5. Dynamic compaction

SOIL STABILIZATION
Improvement of stability or bearing capacity of soil by use of controlled compaction or by the addition of suitable admixtures or stabilizers .

There are various methods of soil stabilization

The methods of soil stabilization are:

1. Mechanical Stabilization 2. Soil-cement Stabilization 3. Soil-lime Stabilization 4. Soil-bitumen Stabilization 5. Chemical Stabilization 6. Electrical Stabilization 7. Stabilization by grouting 8. Stabilization by geotextile and fabrics 9. Using bioenzymes 10. Reinforced earth

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GROUND IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR HIGHWAYS

Mechanical Stabilization
Process of improving the properties of soil by changing its gradation. Two or more natural soils are mixed to obtain a composite material. Cement Stabilization Done by mixing soil and cement with water and compacting the mix to attain a strong material. Cement as been widely used to stabilize sandy and clay soil Cement stabilizing is most effective in soil with less than about 40% of it has particle size of 0.002mm.

Lime Stabilization
Lime stabilization is done by adding lime (2%-10%) to soil. Lime stabilization process is applied in the construction site by 3 method In the construction site soil is mixed with proper amount of lime with water and then compact t he soil and lime with water are mixed mechanically at a mixing plant and then transported to construction site for compaction lime slurry can be port or injected through small drill hole into the soil which stabilizing the surrounding soil.

Bituminous Stabilization
Bituminous stabilization provides water proofing and binding. The improvement of soil property by the addition of bitumen is widely used and generally effective method of soil stabilization. Bitumen are non aqueous system of hydrocarbon which are completely soluble in carbon dioxide . Tars and bitumen content produced by the destructive distillation of organic material such as coal ,oil, lignite, wood etc.

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GROUND IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR HIGHWAYS

Chemical Stabilization
Stabilization by adding different chemicals.

Mainly

calcium chloride stabilization, sodium chloride stabilization ,sodium silicate .

Electrical Stabilization
Done by a process known as electro-osmosis.

Stabilization by Grouting
In this method grouting is done under pressure the stabilizers with high viscosity are suitable only for soils with high permeability.

Stabilization by Geotextiles and Fabrics

Geotextile which have very high tensile strength can be used as reinforcement for strengthening soil.

Reinforced Earth
Soil can be stabilized by introducing thin strips in to it . Stabilization using Bio-Enzymes Bio-enzyme stabilization is a newer technique for strengthening of sub grade soil. Terra Zyme is one of the largely used bioenzymes.

VERTICAL DRAIN
Act as free draining water channel. surrounded by a thin filter jacket which prevents the surrounding soil from entering the core. A vertical sand drain accelerates the rate of consolidation.

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GROUND IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR HIGHWAYS

Installation of vertical sand drains is a convenient technique for stabilization of soft and compressible soil . The time required to achieve a certain level of consideration is proportional to the drainage distance. If the strata of compressible soil is very thick the time require achieve theuctesired consolidation is more .in some cases it may be several year or even decades this well delay the construction and not possible to wait for such a long time. consolidation thick layerof compressive soil by preloading at a rate it some means of accreting the consolidation process. The most of way to accelerate the consolidation process is to produce the drainage by providing artificial pathforthe excess pore water escape this can be achieved by installing vertical drain. In this vertical drain the excess pore water with in the compressible soil now drains horizontal to the nearest vertical drains a much shorter distance than before this increase the rate of consolidation. There are two types of vertical drains - sand drains and sand wicks.

Sand drains
Typically 200-500 mm in dia. Formed by infilling sand in to a hole in the ground.

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Hole formed by driving ,jetting or augering. Typical spacing 1.5 - 6.0 .

Sand wicks
Sand wicks are improved technique of sand drains. A small diameter hole is made by driving mandrel or by boring.

Then cylindrical bag with sand is lowered into this.

CAPILLARY CUT-OFF
In some cases capillary water accumulates and saturates the subsurface layers which results in failures. To arrest this capillary rise, capillary cut-off has to be provided.

Capillary cutoff is of two types.

1. Permeable Capillary Cut-off 2. Impermeable Capillary Cut-off A layer of granular material is provided which has a thickness higher than the capillary rise so that water cannot rise above the cut-off laye

Impermeable Capillary Cut-off

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GROUND IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR HIGHWAYS

An impermeable capillary cut-off is prepared by inserting bituminous layer in place of permeable blanket

VIBRO COMPACTION
For loose sand deposits, the density index can be increased by vibro compaction. This process employs a depth vibrator suspended from crane Compaction of sand can be achieved up to distance of 2.5m from axis of vibrator. Compaction can be carried out to significant depths up to 12m It is used for compacting thick deposit of loose sandy soil upto 30m depth A vibrofloat consisting of a circular hole about 400mm dia and 2m long fitted with water jet at top and bottom it consisting of rotating excentric mass which develops horizontal vibrating motion. Vibrofloat is sunk into the loose soil upto the desired depth using lower water jet as the lower jet as water comes out of the jet it create moment quick sand condition a head of vibrofloat due to which the shear ring of soil is reduce at the bottom

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GROUND IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR HIGHWAYS

The vibrofloat settle due to its vibromass when the desired depth has been reach vibrator is activated then vibrate is activate then vibrate laterally and causes compaction of soil in the horizontal direction to a radius of 1.5m. The water from lower jet is transferred to topper and pressure is reduce so it is just enough to carry so and pore at the top to the bottom of whole vibration continues as he vibrogloatis slowly rise to the surface the around sand continues dropped into the space around the vibrofloat by raising the vibro and simultaneously filling the entire depth of soil is compacted.

DYNAMIC COMPACTION
This involves in increasing the density of soil near the surface by tamping. Density improvement up to 10m is feasible. This method consists of dropping heavy mass of 8 to 40 tones known as pounder on the surface from a height 5 to 30m.

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GROUND IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR HIGHWAYS

It is a technique that has gain in u/s for densification of granular soil deposit this process consists preliminary of dropping heavy wt on the groundraptly at varies over a range of 80-360kn and height of rammer dropped 7.5-30.5kn the stress waves generated by the hammer in the densification the degree of compaction achieve at a given side depend up the following 3 factor. Wt of rammer Height of rammer drop Specifies of location at which rammer is dropped

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CONCLUSIONS
While constructing highways different ground conditions are encountered. Considering all factors a suitable ground improvement technique has to be done. Ground improvement techniques have been extensively used by developed countries. Lime stabilization is suitable for expansive soil like black cotton soils. In bitumen stabilization optimum content of bitumen vanes from 4 to 6 % soil. Electrical and Chemical stabilization are expensive compared to others. Stabilization by grouting is suitable only for soils with high permeability. Stabilization by Terra Zyme is most effective for fine grained soil Provision of capillary cut-off is effective for expansive soils. For soft and compressible soils provision of sand drains and sand wicks are found to be effective. Dynamic compaction is found suitable for soft, loose cohesionless soil layers.. Stone column has also been found useful for soft soils

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References
Sanjay Kr Singh &Pradeep Kr Gupta, (2002), "Critical review of ground improvement techniques for highways", Vol 30, No: 8, Indian Highways, NewDelhi, pp. 5-13. Gaulkar.M.P, (1999), "Construction of roads III black cotton soils", Vol 27, No: 3, Indian Highways, New Delhi, pp. 37-43. Sharma.S.C, (1994), "Ground Improvement Techniques", Vol. 22, No: 12, Indian Highways, New Delhi, pp. 3-4. (1994), "Application of Geogrids in Highway Engineering", Special report: 12, Indian Road Congress, New Delhi, pp. 59-61. Biju.P.B, Kuncheria.P.Issac, (2003), "Studies Stabilization Using TerraZyme for Pavement (M.Tech Thesis Report). on Soil Subgrade" Sharma.V.M. et.al, (2000), "Soil Nailing" ,Vol:28, No: 1, Indian Highways, New Delhi, pp. 46-52. Arora.K.R, (2003), "Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering", Standard Publishers Distributors, Delhi.

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