CEG 404

GROUND IMPROVEMENT

Prepared by: Engr. Darwin E. Manalo

Instructor
Agenda

1.1 Introduction
1.2 Improvement in Soil Behavior
1.3 Overview of Ground Improvement Techniques
1.4 Importance of Construction
1.5 Problems

CEG 404: Ground Improvement Introduction 2

 INTRODUCTION TO
GROUND IMPROVEMENT

Presentation title 3
 • Ground modification in the constructed
environment is not a new idea. For instance,
the method of wattle and daub has been used
for thousands of years to provide tensile
reinforcement to clayey materials in buildings.
• The process of adding straw to clay and baking
Ground it in the sun improved the strength properties
of the clay creating a building material that has
Improvement been used for thousands of years.
• In another ancient application, the Romans
used timber as a base layer for roads. In
modern times, inclusions (such as geogrids and
geotextiles) are commonly employed for
ground improvement.

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Wattle and
Daud
Construction

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 “Treat the Soil to Improve it’s
Properties.” Moseley and Kirsch
(2004) in the second edition

All ground improvement techniques see to improve

those soil characteristics that match the desired results
of a project, such as an increase in density and shear
strength to aid problems of stability, the reduction of
soil compressibility, influencing permeability to reduce
and control groundwater flow or to increase the rate of
consolidation, or to improve soil homogeneity
 Schaefer et al. (2017)

“the alteration of site foundation

conditions or project earth structures to
provide better performance under
design and/or operational loading
conditions.”
 NOTE:

Some improvements are of the first order. For

example, compaction will increase the density of
soil. However, density increases can lead to second
order effects such as increased strength and
reduced compressibility. Finally, these second order
improvements can result in third order effects such
as increased bearing capacity and reduced
settlement and/or improved liquefaction resistance.
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 Common Alternatives to the Application
of Ground Improvement Include:

➢Avoid the site or area

➢Remove and replace
➢Transfer load to deeper strata
➢Design structure accordingly

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 Common Alternatives to the Application
of Ground Improvement Include:

➢Avoid the site or area There are many circumstances

➢Remove and replace where the owner/developer has
options regarding the location of
➢Transfer load to deeper strata the proposed facility and finding an
➢Design structure accordingly alternative site or a different area
of the same site is a viable option.

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 Common Alternatives to the Application
of Ground Improvement Include:

➢Avoid the site or area If the unsuitable materials are limited in

aerial and/or vertical extent, the best
➢Remove and replace (and most economical) option may be
➢Transfer load to deeper strata to simply excavate the unsuitable soils
and replace them with more suitable
➢Design structure accordingly materials having more predictable
properties, such as crushed stone. This
is a commonly chosen alternative when
a localized fill is encountered.

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 Common Alternatives to the Application
of Ground Improvement Include:

➢Avoid the site or area The use of deep foundations, such as

piles or drilled shafts, has long been
➢Remove and replace the option of choice in locations
where unsuitable bearing materials
➢Transfer load to deeper strata are present near the ground surface.
➢Design structure accordingly Deep foundations affect load transfer
through the use of stiff structural
members placed between the
structure and competent bearing
materials found at deeper depths.

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 Common Alternatives to the Application
of Ground Improvement Include:

➢Avoid the site or area Some sites and structures, in

➢Remove and replace combination, may lend themselves to
structural redesign to accommodate
➢Transfer load to deeper strata the site conditions.
➢Design structure accordingly Likewise, structures can incorporate
construction joints, allowing some
differential settlement without causing
distress

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 IMPROVEMENT IN
SOIL BEHAVIOR

Presentation title 14
Ground improvement may be viewed
from the perspective of system
performance. For example, it may be
necessary to improve the ground to
increase the allowable bearing value of IMPROVEMENT
a footing supported on the soils
beneath a structure. From the system
IN SOIL
perspective, ground Introduction 3 BEHAVIOR
improvement alternatives would be
evaluated for their ability to increase
bearing capacity and decrease
settlement
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How to Increase Allowable Bearing Value?

1. Increasing the stiffness of the soil (decreases settlement),

2. Increasing the shear strength of the soil (increases bearing
capacity).
3. Decreasing soil property variability (decreases differential
settlement)

NOTE : Densifying granular materials or consolidating cohesive materials can increase soil
strength and stiffness.

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 Fundamental Soil Behavior Characteristic

➢ Shear Strength Shear strength can be increased through

➢ Compressibility ground improvement techniques that
➢ Hydraulic Conductivity decrease the void ratio and/or adding a
➢ Liquefaction Potential cohesive (cementing) component. There are
many applications that benefit from
➢ Shrink and Swell Behavior
improved shear strength including increased
➢ Reduction in Variability bearing capacity, improved slope stability,
and reduced liquefaction potential.
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 Fundamental Soil Behavior Characteristic

➢ Shear Strength Compressibility is not a unique value, since it

➢ Compressibility depends on the nature of the load
application and the initial stress state of the
➢ Hydraulic Conductivity soil. The soil stiffness can be increased, i.e.
➢ Liquefaction Potential decreased compressibility, through ground
➢ Shrink and Swell Behavior improvement techniques that reduce void
ratio or add a cohesive or cementing
➢ Reduction in Variability
component. Cohesive soil stiffness can be
increased by compaction and consolidation.
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 Fundamental Soil Behavior Characteristic

➢ Shear Strength Improved ground is ground that is modified to

➢ Compressibility produce a zone of reduced permeability in
order to control the detrimental effects of
➢ Hydraulic Conductivity groundwater. For example, flow beneath a dam
➢ Liquefaction Potential can lead to soil particle movement (piping)
and/or instability. Construction projects also
➢ Shrink and Swell Behavior frequently require construction below grade
➢ Reduction in Variability and often below the water table. In these cases,
construction dewatering is needed.

Presentation title 19
 Fundamental Soil Behavior Characteristic

➢ Shear Strength Loose granular materials below the

groundwater level can be subject to
➢ Compressibility liquefaction upon the application of a dynamic
➢ Hydraulic Conductivity load, such as during an earthquake. During
shaking, loose granular soil deposits generally
➢ Liquefaction Potential decrease in volume. The most common
➢ Shrink and Swell Behavior mitigation of this risk is to densify the soils,
which reduces their liquefaction potential.
➢ Reduction in Variability Other ground improvement techniques to
reduce liquefaction potential include
groundwater control and in situ mixing.
Presentation title 20
 Fundamental Soil Behavior Characteristic

➢ Shear Strength
➢ Compressibility
➢ Hydraulic Conductivity
➢ Liquefaction Potential
➢ Shrink and Swell Behavior
➢ Reduction in Variability

Liquefaction of road foundation in New Zealand (photo courtesy

National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service)
Presentation title 21
 Fundamental Soil Behavior Characteristic

➢ Shear Strength Soils containing smectitic clays are

➢ Compressibility subject to substantial volume changes
➢ Hydraulic Conductivity in response to cycles of wetting and
➢ Liquefaction Potential drying. The shrink/swell behavior of
these expansive soils can have
➢ Shrink and Swell Behavior
detrimental effects and can
➢ Reduction in Variability progressively damage a building or
cause a retaining wall to fail.
Presentation title 22
 Fundamental Soil Behavior Characteristic

➢ Shear Strength
➢ Compressibility
➢ Hydraulic Conductivity
➢ Liquefaction Potential
➢ Shrink and Swell Behavior
➢ Reduction in Variability

Structural damage due to expansive soils

Presentation title 23
 Fundamental Soil Behavior Characteristic

➢ Shear Strength Physical and engineering properties of soils are

➢ Compressibility naturally variable. At times, this variability can affect
the performance of a planned structure. For
➢ Hydraulic Conductivity example, if the compressibility varies enough from
➢ Liquefaction Potential location to location, an excessive differential
➢ Shrink and Swell Behavior settlement could be expected. Ground
improvement can modify the properties of
➢ Reduction in Variability subsurface materials to provide a more uniform
performance.

Presentation title 24
 OVERVIEW OF GROUND
IMPROVEMENT TECHNIQUES

Presentation title 25
Four (4) Defining Principles in Order to Increasing
Complexity of Ground Improvement

1. Control of water – removal or control of groundwater

2. Mechanical modification – rearrangement of soil or water
particles
3. Modification by additives – addition of chemicals
4. Modification by inclusions or confinement – system behavior
modification through rigid or flexible element inclusion or soil
confinement
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 Important Principles, Engineering
Considerations, and Construction Method in
Ground Improvement

1. Compaction: Shallow Methods

2. Compaction: Deep Methods
3. Soil mixing and injection methods
4. Stabilization and Solidification
5. Grouting
6. Dewatering
7. Consolidation
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 IMPORTANCE OF
CONSTRUCTION

Presentation title 28
 • One cannot “design” a ground
improvement program without a
full understanding of the
construction means and methods.
In fact, credit for the development
IMPORTANCE OF of ground improvement
CONSTRUCTION techniques lies largely with
innovative contractors. Many of
the experts in the field of ground
improvement are or were
contractors.

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 PROBLEMS

Presentation title 30
 •The water content and
degree of saturation will
significantly impact the
efficacy of certain ground
improvement techniques.
PROBLEMS Relate your experiences on
the beach building
sandcastles to the effect of
water content and degree
of saturation
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Thank you
Engr. Darwin E. Manalo
CEG 404 Instructor