Liquefaction Mitigation Using Stone Columns Around Deep Foundations: Full-Scale Test Results

The results presented were developed as part of a larger project analyzing the behavior of full-scale laterally loaded piles in liquefied soil, the first full-scale testing of its kind. Presented here are the results of a series of full-scale tests performed on deep foundations in liquefiable sand, both before and after ground improvement, in which controlled blasting was used to liquefy the soil surrounding the foundations. Data were collected showing the behavior of laterally loaded piles before and after liquefaction. After the installation of stone columns, the tests were repeated. From the results of these tests, it can be concluded that the installation of stone columns can significantly increase the density of the improved ground as indicated by the cone penetration test. Furthermore, it was found that the stone column installation limited the excess pore pressure increase from the controlled blasting and substantially increased the rate of excess pore pressure dissipation. Finally, the stone columns were found to significantly increase the stiffness of the foundation system by more than 2.5 to 3.5 times that in the liquefied soil. This study provides some of the first full-scale quantitative results on the improvement of foundation performance due to stone columns in a liquefiable deposit.