See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/312218186

Analysis of Geotextile-Encased Granular Columns Subjected to Lateral

Loading

Poster · January 2016

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.11880.47368

CITATIONS READS

0 112

2 authors:

Sunil ranjan Mohapatra Rajagopal Karpurapu

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Indian Institute of Technology Madras
17 PUBLICATIONS   78 CITATIONS    104 PUBLICATIONS   2,059 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Application of Image Processing in Geotechnical Engineering View project

Encased Granular Columns View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Sunil ranjan Mohapatra on 12 January 2017.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 Analysis of Geotextile-Encased Granular Columns
Subjected to Lateral Loading
Sunil Ranjan Mohapatra* & K. Rajagopal
*Ph.D. Scholar (CE12D022)
Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras

ABSTRACT
The main objective of the research project focus on understanding the behaviour of granular columns subjected to lateral loading. To achieve
the objective, experimental studies were carried out using large direct shear box in which stone columns of two different diameters (50 mm and
100 mm) and three different configurations (single, triangular and square) were tested. From the experiments it was observed that the shear
resistance of virgin soil increases due to the presence of ordinary granular columns (OGC). Similar trend was also observed for geotextile
encased granular columns (EGC). In case of OGC , strain softening behaviour was observed after the peak and shear stress remain constant
due to failure of granular columns. In EGC, geotextile encasement prevents the shear failure of granular columns and helps to mobilize large
post peak shear resistance. With increase in area replacement ratios, the shear resistance increases both in ordinary and encased granular
columns.

INTRODUCTION
Granular columns are primarily subjected to lateral loads near the toe of
high embankments (Almeida et al. 2015) and retaining walls. During
earthquakes granular columns can be subjected to lateral thrusts (Raju,
2001) which may lead to shear failure of OGC. Murugesan and Rajagopal
(2008) carried out limited laboratory studies using plane strain condition to
understand the behavior of OGC and EGC subjected to shear loading. They
reported significant improvement in shear load carrying capacity of
granular columns due to encasement. The variation of diameter and group
effect were not considered for the above study. Hence, detail studies
pertaining to understand the behavior of granular columns subjected to
shear loading forms the focus of this research project. Fig 1: Embankment supported on stone columns

Laboratory Studies Results

120
120
OGC 100
EGC
100

Shear stress (kPa)

Shear stress (kPa)

80
80

60 60

40 40

50S OGC 50T OGC 20 50S EGC 50T EGC

20
100C OGC 50C OGC 100C EGC 50C EGC
Sand Sand
0 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Fig 2: Large Direct Shear Box Horizontal displacement (mm) Horizontal displacement (mm)

Fig 5: Shear stress vs. displacement (n = 75 kPa)

OGC EGC

Fig 3: Plan arrangements of granular columns

Direction of shear
Fig 6: Mode of failure of OGC and EGC

Conclusions
• Encasement increases the lateral load capacity of granular
columns.
Fig 4: Steel tubes and encasements of different diameters • Higher shear stresses mobilized at larger displacements in
EGC.
Acknowledgement • Marginal increase in strength for OGC with increase in area
replacement ratio.
The financial assistance provided by Canadian Common Wealth
• For the same ARR, multiple columns had shown substantial
Scholarship Program to carryout the research work at University of
improvement compared to single column.
Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada is highly appreciated.

References
1. Almeida, M.S.S., Hosseinpour, I., Riccio, M. and Alexiew, D. (2015): Behaviour of Geotextile-Encased Granular Columns Supporting Test
Embankment on Soft Deposit, Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 141(3), 04014116.
2. Murugesan, S., Rajagopal, K., 2008. Shear load tests on granular columns with and without geosynthetic encasement. Geotech. Test. J,
32 (1), pp. 35–44.
3. Raju, V.S., 2001. Rehabilitation of Earthquake Damaged Berths at Kandla Port, Proceedings of the International Conference on Ocean
Engineering, IIT Madras, Chennai, India, 11–14 December, pp. K55–K70.
View publication stats