GROUND IMPROVEMENT

NRG CONE TAMPING SYSTEM

SOIL MODIFICATION, STABILISATION AND RECYCLING

VIBRO DISPLACEMENT

www.roger-bullivant.co.uk

VIBRO DISPLACEMENT
A P P L I C AT I O N
Vibro displacement using vibro stone columns is a method of enhancing ground bearing capacity and limiting settlement. Typical applications include support of foundations, slabs, hardstandings, pavements, tanks or embankments. Soft soils can be reinforced to achieve improved specification requirement whilst slopes can be treated to prevent slip failure. Both natural soils and made ground can be improved. On low to medium rise buildings and industrial developments typical allowable bearing capacities are in the range 100kN/m2 to 200kN/m2, while beneath tanks or embankments applied loads are often in the region of 100kN/m2. Dependent on ground conditions, the technique may be suitable to support heavier loads. On completion of ground improvement, foundations may be constructed at nominal depths (minimum 0.60m), while floor slabs and areas of hardstanding may be constructed after proof rolling of the surface following removal of surface disturbed soils.
RB 4001 Rig Installing stone column

DESCRIPTION
Specially designed and constructed RB high powered vibrating mandrels penetrate the ground requiring improvement, in a vertical plane to a design depth. The resulting bores are then filled with suitable aggregate or stabilised soil, which is compacted in layers typically 0.3 - 0.6m increments. The shape of the poker tip is designed to ensure excellent compaction of stone or stabilised soil column and the tapered mandrel profile specifically maximises compaction of the surrounding ground.

SITE REQUIREMENTS
In granular soils ground bearing capacity is enhanced by the introduction of columns of compacted stone or columns of compacted stabilised soil, together with densification of the granular soil around each column. In cohesive soil, enhancement of ground bearing capacity is achieved by the reinforcing effect of columns of compacted stone or compacted stabilised soil within the clay mass. In both cases design is based on the performance of the composite column/soil system. There is load sharing between the columns and the soil, as the columns do not work in complete end bearing as piles do. In ground of variable density or variable consistency, installation of stone columns or columns of stabilised soil provides an effective means of ensuring the ground performance is made more uniform, thereby limiting differential settlement. The presence of ground water on site can obviously influence the choice of treatment application, but the speed of inflow and ground type are factors to be considered.

MORE ECONOMICAL than piling or deep excavation works

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

RAPID INSTALLATION Immediate follow on works

METHOD
Penetration to the required treatment depth is achieved by the vibratory action of the mandrel, together with extra pull down provided by the rig. On reaching the required depth the mandrel is fully extracted and a small charge of aggregate or stabilised soil is introduced into the resulting bore from the surface. The poker then re-penetrates the bore to within a short distance of the original depth, thus compacting the introduced aggregate or stabilised soil. The poker is again extracted and further aggregate or stabilised soil is added. This is compacted as before during re-penetration to within a short distance of the previously penetrated depth and the procedure is repeated until each column is completed to the surface.

M A N D R E L D E S I G N D ATA
A range of mandrel shapes is available to meet differing soil conditions (refer to data below). RB has a range of in-house designed and built rigs.

4 0 0 1 T E C H N I C A L D ATA
GROSS WEIGHT: POWER RATING: VIBRATOR RATING: MAIN CONTROL: 19 tonnes 315kW at 1800rpm 47 tonnes at 1650rpm (28 Hz) Full radio remote

BENEFITS
G

buildings may be supported on conventional shallow, nominally reinforced foundations and ground bearing floor slabs rapid installation immediate follow-on works no spoil produced economy when compared with piling or deep excavation work environmentally friendly, encouraging regeneration of brownfield sites, and promoting sustainability by the possible use of reclaimed or recycled aggregates

G G G

By re-introduction of the cone mandrel a dense stone column is constructed.

By use of side tipping load shovel, stone is charged into the displaced void.

Insertion of vibrating cone mandrel to engineered depth.

NO SPOIL PRODUCED

ENCOURAGES REGENERATION OF BROWNFIELD SITES

PROMOTES SUSTAINABILITY Possible use of reclaimed or recycled aggregates

NRG CONE TAMPING SYSTEM

A P P L I C AT I O N
Dynamic compaction and consolidation using the NRG cone tamping system is a method of enhancing ground to substantial depths by repeated, controlled energy input, by dropping specially designed tampers to achieve measured ground improvement. This special technique has been developed by Roger Bullivant Limited, based on traditional slower methods developed in France, which use flat bottomed tampers which are known to create significantly more vibration, noise and disturbance.
RB 9000 Series Rig RB 9000 Series and JS200 Rigs, working in tandem

Using RB equipment, treatment can be effective to provide allowable bearing capacities typically in the range 50 to 150kN/m2. In the right conditions higher capacities may be achievable. The technique is appropriate to provide support for foundations, slabs, hardstandings, tanks, or embankments, or simply to reduce levels on site.

DESCRIPTION
The use of the special shaped tampers greatly increases the efficiency of the ground improvement. For given energy input, the degree of improvement and the effective depth of improvement is increased relative to traditional flat bottomed tampers. Vibration generated is also reduced as the energy is directed into the ground, rather than laterally. Roger Bullivant Ltd has also developed purpose-made machines, which enable dropping of tampers in free fall within leaders. This greater accuracy in drop regime leads to a higher proportion of the energy applied for a given drop height, relative to conventional dynamic compaction, where tampers are attached to a crane rope, as well as significantly increasing productivity.

SITE REQUIREMENTS
Suitable ground conditions include natural granular soils, made ground and refuse. The technique may also be used as part of an earthworks operation, where fill is required to be placed in layers. The fill, which may consist of unmodified as dug material, or soils which are modified or stabilised by use of additives, such as quicklime or cement, may be compacted using the NRG cone tamping system. Several tamping passes may be required to achieve the desired effect, and careful monitoring and testing forms an essential part of the ground improvement. On-going monitoring may include taking levels on a grid pattern before and after each tamping pass, undertaking trial drops to determine the optimum treatment regime, monitoring imprint depths and measuring pore water pressures (where appropriate). As part of the monitoring of imprint depths, accurate measurements are taken of the penetration of the tamper achieved by application of particular energy. By this means, direct assessment of allowable bearing capacity is made. Analysis of levels enables the amount of void closure and hence the degree of densification.

COST EFFECTIVE best value solution

SUITABLE FOR CONTAMINATED SOILS

HIGH PRODUCTIVITY minimises contract period

METHOD
Typical schematic of working pattern Fig 1

A selection of different shaped NRG tampers with a variety of weights is available depending on the densification and consolidation requirements and ground conditions. On some sites it is necessary to provide a working platform to enable the works to proceed and to provide a source material to infill imprints which may be formed as part of the tamping operation. The working platform may be formed by application and mixing of additives such as quicklime or cement to the surface materials using the RB Wirtgen WR 2500K soil stabilisation system. Where treatment to substantial depth is necessary, initial tamping is undertaken using single pointed tampers up to approximately 2.5m long with a mass up to 10 tonnes. This would be on a grid pattern, with the objective of densifying deeper layers. Subsequent tamping would normally be undertaken using multipointed tampers, which are designed to improve the shallower layers, either on a closer grid pattern, or with dropping at immediately adjacent positions (continuous tamping see Fig 1). Imprints resulting from the tamping may be infilled either with on-site materials, where it is suitable, or with soil modified or stabilised by use of additives such as quicklime or cement. The source of infill material is often the working platform as referred to above. On completion of the main tamping, a single pointed NRG cone may be used to form instant excavations for foundation bases. At this stage, accurate measurements of NRG cone penetration for a given energy are taken to confirm that necessary allowable bearing capacity has been achieved. Details of some of the available tampers are shown in Fig 2. The NRG cone system may be used in combination with vibro stone columns to further enhance ground improvement already achieved by installation of stone columns, or columns of stabilised soil. This involves dropping of single pointed NRG long cones into previously constructed stone columns, or columns of stabilised soil.

Typical tampers

BENEFITS
G G G G G

Multi-Point Cone Fig 2

cost effective, best value solution no spoil produced an important environmental factor on sites with contaminated soils total area treatment enables flexibility with positioning of buildings high productivity minimises contract period reduced vibration enables treatment closer to adjacent structures than is possible with traditional dynamic compaction.

NO SPOIL PRODUCED

REDUCED VIBRATION compared with traditional dynamic compaction

Flower Pot Cone

This will burst the upper section of the column to enable further improvement of the ground. The resulting imprints are filled either with suitable granular materials such as crushed rock, natural aggregates, crushed concrete or stabilised soil.

Standard Long Cone

TOTAL AREA TREATMENT

SOIL MODIFICATION, STABILISATION AND RECYCLING

A P P L I C AT I O N
Roger Bullivant Limited has a range of techniques for modifying and stabilising soils including the ability to recycle previously unusable material. The objectives are to control soil moisture content, provide workable materials, increase soil strength, reduce settlement, ensure volume stability and durability, or to encapsulate contaminants as required.

DESCRIPTION
Soil stabilisation for HGV park on industrial development using the RB Wirtgen WR 2500K

The RB Wirtgen WR 2500K soil stabilisation system, provides a rapid method of introducing powder additives in a controlled method and dosage to create a material with an end-product as specified by the client. The additive may be either placed on the ground ahead of the machine, prior to pulverisation and mixing, or it may be placed by means of an integrated hopper, such that additive is introduced concurrent with granulation. Water may be introduced simultaneously with the additive. The advantages of an integrated hopper are: 1 Metered dosages of additive and water (if required) may be accurately applied 2 The zone where additive is introduced is fully shielded to prevent loss of additive into the environment.

SITE REQUIREMENTS
These techniques may be adopted in natural and/or made ground. Granular, cohesive and even contaminated soils can be successfully treated. The selection of appropriate additives and dosage depends on soil type and end product requirements.

The complete stabilisation process

MINIMISES QUARRYING AND TRANSPORTATION

AVOIDS UNNECESSARY REMOVAL OF CONTAMINATED MATERIALS

Modified tractor being used for mixing binders

PROVIDES EXCELLENT WORKING PLATFORM

When used on contaminated sites, one of the objectives may be to encapsulate the contaminants, or to treat the material to neutralise them. This process is generally under guidance of The Environment Agency and in compliance with the requirement of the RB Limited Mobile Plant Licence.

METHOD
Use of the RB Wirtgen WR 2500K soil stabilisation system facilitates pulverisation of a soil layer, placement of additives and water (where required) and mixing of additives into the pulverised layer. The treated layer must then be compacted by an appropriate method. Compaction could be by conventional rolling, or by tamping using specially designed shaped tampers (see NRG cone tamping system). Where relatively small dosages of additive are used (eg less than 3%), soil properties may be almost instantaneously modified, to provide a workable material (SOIL MODIFICATION). However, over a longer period of time, provided there is sufficient available additive to react with the soil, there may be ongoing enhancement of soil properties (SOIL STABILISATION). In cohesive soils, the commonly used additive is quicklime, whilst in more granular soils, the additives are typically cement or pulverised fuel ash. Other additives or blends of additive may be used. Provision of workable materials By application of appropriate additives an unsuitable material may be rendered suitable for incorporation into earthworks. This technique normally involves modification rather than soil stabilisation. A convenient method may be to place a layer of the unsuitable material on the ground surface, which may then be pulverised using the RB Wirtgen WR 2500K machine while appropriate additive is applied, prior to compaction of the layer. Compaction could be by conventional rolling or by tamping with NRG cone. Working platforms Provision of working platforms may be required where soft soils occur at the surface or where surface soils are wet. Additive may be used to control moisture content of the soil, which may be all that is required to provide a workable material. It may be necessary to introduce further additive to modify the soil. For this application soil modification with comparatively low dosages of additive is usually sufficient. Enhancement of bearing capacity Introduction of appropriate additive results in an enhancement of soil properties, which in itself increases the strength of the soils and also provides more workable materials which can be better compacted to maximise bearing capacity and to minimise settlement. This technique may be used to provide enhanced materials to incorporate into conventional earthworks, or may be used to provide permanent hardstanding areas, or load transfer platforms. Encapsulation of contaminants By use of appropriate additives, soil stabilisation techniques may be used to encapsulate certain contaminants. This may be an additional benefit to enhancement of soil properties.
RB WIRTGEN WR 2500K

Working direction

Schematic diagram showing dust-free soil stabilisation with lime or cement

Wet soil

Integrated spreading device with hopper and cellular wheel sluice

Variable mixing chamber with milling and mixing rotor

Soil mixture with reduced water content

BENEFITS
G

enables re-use of on site soils, including contaminated materials, bringing environmental benefits provides a cost effective alternative to use of conventional aggregates (minimises quarrying and transportation) avoids unnecessary removal of unsuitable materials and contaminated soils.

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

RE-USE OF ONSITE SOILS including contaminated materials

COST EFFECTIVE

TESTING & QUALITY CONTROL

Testing is an essential part of the overall package and is carried out by RB Testing Services and independent testing houses to ISO9001.

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