Abstract
The behavior of footings resting on soft clays reinforced by floating granular piles is assessed in terms of its bearing capacity and settlement. This paper presents the results of experimental work on model footings resting on soft clay reinforced by floating granular piles. Three model footings of dimensions 10 x 10, 10 x 15 and 10 x 20 cm are tested. The granular piles were installed using the cased-borehole method by compacting granular materials into a preformed hole. In all the studied cases, the length of granular piles and thickness of soft clay bed are constant and equal to 20 cm and 30 cm, respectively. The parameters that were varied are the diameter of the granular piles, the numbers of the granular piles, the area replacement ratio and the materials of the granular piles (i.e., sand and stone). The improvement in the bearing capacity is represented by a nondimensional parameter called the improvement ratio, IR, and the reduction in settlement is represented by a non-dimensional factor, called settlement ratio, SR. The effect of different parameters on the improvement ratio, IR, is presented and discussed. Empirical equations are introduced to calculate the improvement ratio and settlement ratio as a function of area replacement ratio. The results of the tests show that the improvement ratio, IR, increases and settlement ratio, SR, decreases as the number and diameter of granular piles increase or as the area replacement ratio increases. Generally, the IR ratio of footings resting on floating stone piles is greater than that of floating sand piles.