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

net/publication/341725621

Construction, Analysis and Behaviour of Stone Column: A Review

Conference Paper · May 2020

CITATIONS READS
0 2,129

3 authors, including:

Hiral Patel
Ganpat University, U.V.Patel College of Engineering
3 PUBLICATIONS   0 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE

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

“Feasibility Study for Skywalk Proposed as in Urban Area “A Case Study” View project

Construction, Analysis and Behavior of Stone Column: A Review View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Hiral Patel on 29 May 2020.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

Construction, Analysis and Behaviour of Stone Column:
A Review
Mohsin Jamal1, Hiral V Patel2, Abhilasha Senapati3
Department of Civil Engineering1, 2, 3, , U.V.Patel College of Engineering, Ganpat University1, 2, 3,
Email: [email protected] , hvp01@ ganpatuniversity.ac.in 2 , as02@ ganpatuniversity.ac.in3

Abstract- Vibro replacement stone columns are a ground improvement technique to improve the load bearing
capacity and reduce the settlement of the soil. On many occasions, it is noted that the local soil is by nature, unable
to bear the proposed structure. Hence the use of ground improvement techniques may be necessitated. Use of stone
columns is one such technique. Stone column technique seems to be very suitable and favourable ground
improvement technique for deep soft soil improvement.
Stone column technique is a well-known tool and widely spread through the world. It has been used
successfully for the improvement of the engineering properties of saturated soft soils. Many events have been
reported showing the advantages of this technique. During the last two decades many improvements about this
technique regarding the construction equipment’s and materials have been made. This paper discusses the
techniques, methods of construction of stone columns, mechanisms of stone column behaviour under load and
associated design philosophies.

Keywords: Stone Column, Methods of construction, Design parameters, Settlement evaluation.

(1) INTRODUCTION surrounding the column, flexibility or rigidity

characteristics of the foundation transmitting stresses
There are a number of methods available to improve to the improved ground and the magnitude of lateral
ground conditions such as stone columns, jet pressure developed in the surrounding soil mass and
grouting, compaction grouting, short pile, dynamic acting on the sides of the stone column due to
compaction, lime stabilization etc. Before using any interaction between various elements in the system.
of these methods, it is required to know the ground The stone column derives its axial capacity from the
improvement in detail. In simple words-ground passive earth pressure developed due to the bulging
improvement can be defined as “the process of effect of the column and increased resistance to
enhancing the quality of soil.” lateral deformation under superimposed surcharge
Ground improvement mainly refers to the load. The theory of load transfer, estimation of
improvement of soil layers but in some cases it also ultimate bearing capacity and prediction of
refers to the improvement of rock layers. The ground settlement of stone columns was first proposed by
improvement techniques applied are tools used by the several researchers (Malarvizhi, 2004).
geotechnical engineer for “fixing” the problems of
poor ground, when a poor ground exists at the project Guetif et al., 2007, reported based on
site (Ghanti & Kashliwal, 2008). improvement of a soft soil by stone columns is due
Soft clay deposits are extensively located in many to three factors. The first one is inclusion of a stiffer
coastal areas and they exhibit poor strength and column material (such as crushed stones, gravel, and
compressibility. Stone column that consist of others) in the soft soil.The second factor is the
granular material compacted in long cylindrical holes densification of the surrounding soft soil during the
is used as a technique for improving the strength and installation of stone column.The third factor is the
consolidation characteristics of soft clays. acting as vertical drains. So, the insertion of stone
columns into weak soils is not just a replacement
Load carrying capacity of a stone column is operation and stone column can changes in both the
attributed to frictional properties of the stone mass, material properties and the state of stresses in the
cohesion and frictional properties of soils treated soil mass (Ghanti & Kashliwal, 2008).
(2) STONE COLUMN INSTALLATION Feed Method ) 
METHODS
The construction of stone columns is generally
Stone columns are installed using either top- or carried out using either a replacement or a
bottom-feed systems, either with or without jetted displacement method. In the displacement or dry
water. The top-feed method is used when a stable method, native soil is displaced laterally by a
hole can be formed by the vibratory probe. With the vibratory probe using compressed air. This
dry method (top or bottom-feed), the probe is installation method is appropriate where ground
inserted into the ground and penetrates to the target water level is low and in situ soil is firm. This
depth under its own weight and compressed air method is shown in the Figure 1 and Figure 2.
jetting (Taube and Herridge, 2002).
In the replacement or wet method, native soil is
Most widely used methods for installation of stone replaced by stone columns in a regular pattern where
columns are: the holes are constructed using a vibratory probe
(i) Vibro-Replacement (Wet, Top Feed accompanied by a water jet. This method is shown in
Method) the Fig. 3 (Lee and Pande, 1998).
(ii) Vibro-Displacement (Dry, Top and Bottom

Figure 1: Dry – top - feed method process schematic( Taube, 2001).

Figure 2: Dry – Bottom - feed method process schematic (Taube, 2001).

Figure 3: Wet - top - feed method process schematic (Taube, 2001)

(3) APPLICATION OF STONE COLUMNS
Stone column acts as vertical drains and thus (6) DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
speeding up the process of consolidation, replaces
In order to assess the applicability of vibro stone
the soft soil by a stronger material and initial
columns for a given site and foundation system, it is
compaction of soil during the process of installation
necessary to evaluate the performance of the
thereby increasing the unit weight. Stone columns
also mitigate the potential for liquefaction and unimproved ground and then determine if the stone
damage by preventing build up high pore pressure columns will achieve the desired results in terms of
by providing drainage path. improved bearing capacity, densification, settlement
reduction, etc.
(4) ADVANTAGES In the simplest terms, the preliminary design of
stone columns can be accomplished as follows:
Weak soil, which has very low shear strength and
high compressibility to support structures require 1) Estimate the settlement for the proposed
strengthening to be capable of carrying loads from loading conditions for the unimproved ground using
structures. Stone columns are ideally suited for
conventional settlement calculations.
structures, because:
2) Determine the reduction of settlement that
 To reduction of total and differential is required to meet the design requirements. This
settlements. reduction factor which is expressed as a ratio of the
 To reduction of liquefaction potential of amount of settlement of the unimproved soils to the
cohesion less soil. amount of settlement of the improved soils is
 To increase the bearing capacity of a site referred to as “settlement ratio,” or “improvement
and increase the stiffness. factor.” This concept was developed by Priebe.
 To improve the drainage conditions and 3) Determine, based on contractor’s
environment control. experience and published empirical data , if stone
 To control the deformation and columns can provide the required reduction of
accelerate consolidation. settlement. Typically, settlement ratios are between
2 and 3.
(5) LIMITATIONS 4) Determine the area replacement ratio.
5) Determine the stone column length,
Stone column, when used in sensitive clays, stone diameter and s pacing. The stone column length is
columns have certain limitations. There is increase determining d from evaluation of the settlement
in the settlement of the bed because of the absence calculations.
of the lateral restraint. The clay particles get clogged
Column diameters are predicted empirically, based
around the stone column thereby reducing radial on the construction method (wet or dry method, top
drainage. To overcome these limitations, and to or bottom- feed), vibratory probe characteristics, and
improve the efficiency of the stone columns with characteristics of the strata in which the stone
respect to the strength and the compressibility, stone columns will be installed. Typical diameters for stone
columns are encased (reinforced) using columns using the dry method range from 24 to 36
geogrids/geocomposites. Deshpande & Vyas (1996), inches, while diameters for stone columns installed
have brought out conceptual performance of stone using the wet method are typically larger by a factor
columns encased in geosynthetic material. Katti et al
of approximately 20 to 4 percent.(Taube, 2002).
(1993) proposed a theory for improvement of soft
ground using stone columns with geosynthetic
encasing based on the particulate concept.(
Malarvizhi, 2004).
Figure 4: Plan of stone column, Triangular pattern (left) and square pattern (right). (Cabe, 2007).

(5) FAILURE MODES OF STONE COLUMN  Bulging failure,

Bulging can be encountered as the main factor to
Single stone column can be built upon a firm stratum influence the failure in stone column, generally it is
under a soft soil by end bearing capability or as a believed that if the length of column exceeds 2-3
floating column with tip of column embedded within times of the diameter of column, then bulging
the soft soil layer. However end bearing columns are happens surely.
more in practice. To make the most optimum The modes of failure of Stone Columns depend upon
application of stone columns, we must understand the following parameters:
the various failure mechanisms it can undergo Three  Type of Stone Column (End-bearing or Free
Basic Failure Modes of Stone Columns are: Floating).
 Type of Loading on columns.
 General shear failure,  Passive resistance of tributary clay.
 Local shear failure,

As can be seen in the Fig . 5A the area which has been shown with dash-lines is most probable to have bulging
effect within.

A. long stone column with firm or B. Short column with rigid base C. Short floating column
floating support (bulging failure) (shear failure) (punching failure)

Figure 5: Failure mechanism of a single stone column in a homogeneous soft layer. (Ghanti & Kashliwal,
2008).
In the case where a rigid short column is type of analysis. Sometimes when a floating stone
assumed(see Fig 5.B), the main criteria which column embedding in soft soil is considered (see Fig
controls the failure is , bearing capacity type of 5.C), especially if it is short one which indicates that
failures which is denoted by stress and strain bulbs length of the column is less than 2-3 times of
that simply follows the “Meyerhof” and “Terzaghi” diameter, before bulging can occur, the column is
already unstable due to failure in end bearing but [5] Katti, R.K., Katti, A.R and Naik, S.(1993):
even before bulging can develop. (Ghanti & Monograph to analysis of stone columns with
Kashliwal, 2008)
and without geosynthetic encasing, CBRI
publication, New Delhi.
CONCLUSIONS
[6] Malarvizhi. S.N. (2004): Load versus
Settlement of Claybed stabilized with Stone &
The use of stone columns as a technique of soil
Reinforced Stone Columns, Division of Soil
reinforcement is frequently implemented in soft
Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Anna
cohesive soil. Stone columns have been successfully
University.
used to support isolated footing, large raft
foundations and embankment. Besides, their use in [7] Niroumand, H., (2011): Soil Improvement
soft clays has been found to provide moderate by Reinforced Stone Columns Based on
increases in load carrying capacity accompanied by Experimental Work, Department of
significant reduction in settlement. Being granular Geotechnical Engineering, Faculty of Civil
and freely drained material, consolidation settlement Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
is accelerated and post construction settlement is [8] Pivarc. J., (2011): Stone columns –
minimized.Stone columns may have particular determination of the soil improvement factor,
application in soft soils such as N.C clay, silt and Department of Geotechnics, Faculty of Civil
peat, they are generally inserted on volume Engineering Slovak University of Technology,
displacement basis excavating a hole with specified Radlinského 11, 813 68 Bratislava, Vol. XIX,
diameter and desired depth. No. 3, 17 – 21.
[9] Rudrabir, G & Kashliwal A., (2008):
REFERENCES Ground Improvement Techniques – with a
Focused Study on Stone Column, Dept. of Civil
[1] Ambily.A.P. (2004): Analysis Of Hydro
Engineering, VIT University.
Test Result For Steel Tank On Stone Column
Ground Improvement, Department of Civil [10] Taube.G & Martin, P.E., P.G.(2002): Stone
Engineering, Indian Institue of Tecnology Columns for Industrial Fills, Nicholson
Madras, Chennai. Construction Company, Cuddy, Pennsylvania.
[2] Bhushan.K & et al. (2004): Ground [11] Zahmatkesh. A & A.J. Choobbasti, (2010):
Improvement By Stone Columns and Surcharge Investigation of Bearing Capacity and
Settlement of Strip Footing on Clay Reinforced
at a Tank Site, Fifth International Conference in
with Stone Columns, Australian Journal of Basic
Geotechnical Engineering, New York.
and Applied Sciences, 4(8): 3658-3668, ISSN
[3] Cabe. Bryan A. (2007): Ground 1991-8178.
Improvement Using The Vibro-Stone Column
Techniqe, Department of Civil Engineering,
National University of Ireland, Galway.
[4] Deshpande, P.M and Vyas, A.V., (1996) :
Interactive encased stone column foundation,
Sixth International Conference and Exhibition
on Piling and Deep foundation, DFI’96,
ISSMFE, Bombay, pp1-19
View publication stats