7/27/2017 Ground Improvement Techniques | Complete List of Methods | Classifications | CivilDigital |

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CivilDigital > Civil Engineering Articles > Civil Engineering Articles for Mobile > Ground Improvement Techniques |
Complete List of Methods | Classifications

Ground Improvement
Ground Improvement or Ground treatment is defined as “controlled alteration of the state, nature or mass behavior of
ground materials to achieve an intended satisfactory response to existing or projected environmental and engineering
actions”

Ground Improvement by Vibration

Vibration can be used to compact soils and fills. Similar to Vibrating rollers used to compact relatively thin layers of earth fill
and bituminous road materials. It involves using vibration to densify the ground in place and to depth either by penetrating
the ground with a vibrator or inducing very high level of energy at the ground surface or at defined points within the ground.
Major ground treatment methods include;

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Vibro-compaction
Vibro stone columns
Dynamic compaction
Rapid impact compaction

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Vibratory probing
Compaction piles
Blasting

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Ground Improvement by Dynamic Soil Compaction

Ground Improvement by Adding Load or Increasing Effective Stress

Applying load on the ground causes it to compress. The extent and time required depends on the arrangement of the
ground particles, on the degree of saturation, and on how freely the soil can drain. For loose and particularly unsaturated
fills, adding load induces rapid settlement.

Soft, saturated clays take months or years to consolidate under an added load while pore pressures dissipate and the
effective stress in the soil increases. Major ground treatment methods include;

Pre-compression
Vertical drains
Inundation
Vacuum pre-loading
Dewatering fine-grained soils
Pressure berms

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Various Types of Soils

Ground Improvement by Structural Reinforcement

Many ground improvement methods could be considered as form of reinforcement. Stone columns are introduced
materials that stiffen the ground. Major ground treatment methods include;

Reinforced soil
Soil nailing
Root or micro-piles
Slope dowels
Embankment piles

Ground Improvement by Structural Fill

Basis of this philosophy is to replace a weak soil with a better one. Use lightweight materials instead of heavier earth fills
above weak ground is a recent advancement of this method. Major ground treatment methods include;

Removal and replacement

Displacement
Reducing load

Ground Improvement by Admixtures

The use of additives and admixtures, such as lime, cement, oils and bitumen and chemicals like sulphur, is one of the
oldest and most widespread methods of improving a soil. Purpose of this method is to strengthen a locally available soil fill
to construct a low-cost road base.

Cement stabilized soil or soil-cement, or to mix lime into highly plastic clays is a typical example. Major ground treatment
methods include;

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Lime columns (Swedish method)

Lime and cement columns (Japanese method)
Mix-in-place by single auger
Lime stabilization of slopes
Lime stabilization of pavements
Cement stabilization of pavement

Ground Improvement by Grouting

Grouting can be defined as controlled injection of material, usually in a fluid phase, into soil or rock in order to improve the
physical characteristics of the ground. Major ground treatment methods include;

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Grouting processes
Permeation grouting
Hydrofracture grouting
Jet grouting
Compaction, squeeze and compensation grouting
Cavity filling

Ground Improvement
Let your friends know! by Thermal Stabilization
The removal of heat from the soil turning its pore water into ice is a very powerful technique rendering the ground
impermeable and, for unconsolidated materials, making them stronger.

Applying heat to clays to drive out free pore water and, at higher temperatures, the water adsorbed on particle surfaces,
creates a very hard, durable material, as when making brick or mud building blocks. Major ground treatment methods
include;

Artificial ground freezing

Artificial ground heating

Ground Improvement by Vegetation

Combining engineering and horticulture, vegetation as ground improvement is the biological reinforcement of soil by plant
roots to retain earth masses and prevent soil loss.

2 Comments Sort by Oldest

Add a comment...

EngineeringCivil.org
Great article, you have included all the important techniques, thank you for posting. Please explain each
method in detail.
Like · Reply · 1 · Aug 23, 2016 11:44pm

Mohammad Said · Chief Operations Officer at Meera Engineering

excellent
Like · Reply · 1 · Apr 7, 2017 9:17pm

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Tags:Ground Improvement, Ground Improvement technique, Ground Improvement techniques, ground treatment,
improvement technique, improving bearing capacity of soil, improving ground, soil Improvement, soil treatment, strata
improvement, strengthening ground, treating ground
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1. CivilDigital
2. Civil Engineering Articles
3. Civil Engineering Articles for Mobile
4. Ground Improvement Techniques | Complete List of Methods | Classifications

Contents

1 Ground Improvement
1.1 Ground Improvement by Vibration
1.2 Ground Improvement by Adding Load or Increasing Effective Stress
1.3 Ground Improvement by Structural Reinforcement
1.4 Ground Improvement by Structural Fill
1.5 Ground Improvement by Admixtures
1.6 Ground Improvement by Grouting
1.7 Ground Improvement by Thermal Stabilization
1.8 Ground Improvement by Vegetation

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