Shaking table tests on geosynthetic encased columns in soft clay

• Published in: Geotextiles and geomembranes Vol. 46; no. 6; pp. 748 - 758
• Main Authors: Cengiz, C., Guler, E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Essex Elsevier Ltd 01-12-2018; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Bearing strength; Clay; Clay soils; Deformation; Dynamic loads; Earthquake loading; Earthquakes; Geosynthetic encased column; Geosynthetics; Laminar box; Load; Load carrying capacity; Load tests; Ordinary stone column; Reinforcement; Seismic engineering; Shake table test; Shake table tests; Sinusoidal loading; Soft clay; Soil dynamics; Soil properties; Stone columns; Vertical loads; Geosynthetics; Sinusoidal loading; Laminar box; Earthquake loading; Geosynthetic encased column; Shake table test; Ordinary stone column
• ISSN: 0266-1144; 1879-3584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.geotexmem.2018.07.009

This paper presents the results of an experimental research on the behavior of geosynthetic encased stone columns and ordinary stone columns embedded in soft clay under dynamic base shaking. For this purpose, a novel laminar box is designed and developed to run a total of eight sets of 1-G shaking table tests on four different model soil profiles: Soft clay bed, ordinary stone column installed clay bed, and clay beds with geosynthetic encased columns with two different reinforcement stiffnesses. The geosynthetic encased columns are heavily instrumented with strain rosettes to quantify the reinforcement strains developing under the action of dynamic loads. The responses of the columns are studied through the deformation modes of the encased columns and the magnitude and distribution of reinforcement strains under dynamic loading. The response of the granular inclusion enhanced soft subsoil and embankment soil and the identification of the dynamic soil properties of the entire soil body are also discussed in this article. Finally, to determine the effect of dynamic loading on the vertical load carrying capacity, stress-controlled column load tests are undertaken both on seismically loaded and undisturbed columns.