When there are some limitations
“GROUND encountered for applying the above technique,
IMPROVEMENT
TECHNIQUES”
M.NARESH,
B.SRIKANTH,
CIVIL DEPT,
CIVIL DEPT,
3rdYEAR
3rdYEAR.
1. ABSTRACT:
Ground improvement is the most
imaginative field of geotechnical engineering. It is a
field in which the engineer forces the ground to adopt
the project's requirements, by altering the natural state
of the soil, instead of having to alter the design in
response to the ground's natural limitations. The
results usually include saving in construction cost and
reduction of implementation time.
There are number of techniques available
for improving the mechanical and engineering
properties of the soil. However, each technique has
some limitations and suit abilities to get maximum
improvement in the soil conditions with minimum
effort. Some of the important techniques are discussed
in this paper.
To improve the strength of the soils,
especially in case of granular type of soils,
COMPACTION METHODES are found as best
methods among all type of techniques. Based on the
mechanism applied for compacting the soil, it is sub
divided into different methods like dynamic
compaction, blasting, vibro techniques ...etc. These are
briefly discussed in this paper.
grouting techniques, stabilization of soil using
different admixtures can be adopted effectively which
can bring variations in the soil conditions. The various
types of above techniques are briefly discussed in this
paper.
Finally, recent advancements in ground
improving techniques using GEOTEXTILES,
ELECTRIC TREATMENT METHODES are also
briefly discussed in this paper. These techniques are
widely used in these days.
2. INTRODUCTION:
Large civil engineering projects are
being executed in all over the country in order to
enhance the infrastructure of the country.
Infrastructure facilities have to be often built at
sites where the soil conditions are not ideal. The
insitu soil characteristics of a construction site
are different from those desired, and almost
always far from ideal for a designed need. With
increased urban development, site with favorable
foundation conditions became depleted. At times
the civil engineer has been forced to construct
structures at site selected for reasons other than
soil conditions. Thus it is increasingly important
for the engineer to know the degree to which soil
properties may be improved or other alterations
that can be thought of for construction of an
intended structure at stipulated site.
If unsuitable soil conditions are
encountered at the site of a proposed structure,
one of the following four procedures may be
adopted to insure satisfactory performance of the
structure.
• By pass the unsuitable soil by means of
deep foundations extending to a suitable
bearing material.
• Redesign the structure and it's
 foundation for support by the poor soil.
This procedure may not be feasible or
economical.
• Remove the poor material and either
treat it to improve and replace it (or)
substitute for it with a suitable material.
• Treat the soil in place to improve its
properties.
Rigid foundations such as piling present
a solution but these are often expensive. In such
circumstances, ground improvement
different techniques offers a proved
economic solution. At present a variety of soil
improvement techniques are available
making soil to bear any type of structure on it
and also for mitigation of seismic hazards. The
costs of these methods vary widely and the
conditions under which they can be used are
influenced by nature and proximity of structures
and construction facilities.
3. GROUND IMPROVEMENT
TECHNIQUES:
On the basis of mechanism by which
they improve the engineering properties of soil,
the most of common of these can be divided into
the following major categories. These are
• Densification techniques.
• Reinforcement techniques.
• Stabilization techniques.
• Miscellaneous methods
Apart from the methods listed above,
there are some other simple methods like
removal and replacement of soil. In this paper
these are discussed first before taking up above
techniques.
3.1.REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF
SOIL:
One of the oldest and simplest soil
improvement methods is to simply excavate the
unsuitable soil and replace them with compacted
fill. This method is often used when the problem
the soil is that it is too loose. In that case, the
same soils used to build the fill, except now it
has a higher unit weight (because of compaction)
and thus has been better engineering properties.
This is a common way to remediate problems
with collapsible soils.
using
Removal also may be available option
and
when the excavated soils have other problems,
such as contamination or excessive organics, and
for
need to hauled away. This method can be
expensive because of the hauling costs and the
need for imported soils to replace those that were
excavated. It also can be difficult to find a
suitable disposal site for the excavated soils.
Removal and replacement is generally
practical only above the ground water table.
Earthwork operations become more difficult
when the soil is very wet, even when the free
water pumped out, and thus are generally
avoided unless absolutely necessary.
3.2.PRECOMPRESSION OF SOIL:
Another old and simple method of improving
soils is to cover them with a temporary surcharge
fill as shown in figure. This method is called
precompression, preloading, or surcharging. It is
especially useful in soft clayey and silty soils
because the static weight of the fill causes them
to consolidate, thus improving both settlement
and strength properties. Once the desired
properties have been obtained, the surcharge is
removed and construction proceeds on improved
site.
Pre-compression has the following advantages
• It requires only conventional equipment
earthmoving equipment, which is
readily available. No special or
proprietary equipment is needed.
• Any grading contractor can perform the
work.
• The results can be effectively monitored
by using appropriate instrumentation
and ground level surveys.
• The method has a long track record of
success.
• The cost is comparatively low, so long
as soil for preloading is readily
available.
However, there also are disadvantages
• The surcharge fill generally must extend
horizontally at least 10m beyond the
perimeter of the planned construction.
This may not possible for confined
sites.
• The transport of large quantities of soil
onto the sites may not be practical, or
may have unacceptable environmental
impacts (i.e., dust, noise, traffic) on the
adjacent areas.
• The surcharge must remain in place for
months or years, thus delay in
construction.
3.3 DENSIFICATION TECHNIQUES:
The strength and stiffness of
the soil is higher when the particles are packed in
a dense configuration than they are packed
loosely. As a result, densification is one of the
most effective and commonly used means of
improving soil characteristics. This can be
approached in following ways.
3.3.1 VIBRO TECHNIQUES:
Vibro techniques use probes that are
vibrated through soil deposit in a grid pattern to
densify the soil over the entire area of thickness
of the deposit. These are classified in to the
following methods. These are
3.3.1.1 VIBRO COMPACTION:
Vibro compaction is a method for
compacting deep granular soils by repeatedly
inserting a vibratory probe. It is also known as
VIBRO DENSIFICATION.
By inserting depth vibrators, the
vibrations are produced by rotating a heavy
eccentric weight with the help of an electrical
motor with in the vibrator. The vibratory energy
is used to rearrange the granular particles in a
denser state. Penetration of the vibro probe is
typically aided by water jetting at the tip of the
probe.
 The Vibro-
Compaction Process
Some of advantages and disadvantages of this
method are given below.
• It is often an economical alternative to
deep foundations, especially when
considering the added liquefaction
protection in seismic areas.
• It is most effective in granular soils
• It cannot be used in cohesive soils
3.3.1.2. VIBRO FLOTATION:
In vibro flotation a torpedo like probe (the vibro
float) suspended by a crane is used to densify a
soil deposit. Vibro floats usually 12 to 18 inch in
diameter and about10 to 16 ft long, contain
weights mounted eccentrically on a central shaft
driven by electric or hydraulic power.
The vibro float is initially lowered to
the bottom of the deposit by a combination of
vibration and water or air jetting through ports in
its pointed nose cone. The vibro float is then
incrementally withdrawn in 2 to 3 ft intervals at
an overall rate of about 1ft / min while still
vibrating. Water may be jetted through ports in
the upper part of the vibro float to loosen the soil
above the vibro float temporarily and aid in its
withdrawl. The vibrations produce a localized
zone of temporary liquefaction that causes the
soil surrounding the vibro float to densify.
Principle of the technique
• Vibro flotation is most effective in
clear granular soils with the fine
contents less than 20% and clay
contents below 3%.
• Vibro flotation has been used
successfully to density soils to
deep [this of up to 115 ft.]
3.3.2. DYNAMIC COMPACTION:

Dynamic compaction is a ground
improvement process for compacting
strengthening loose or soft soils to support
buildings, roadways, and other
construction. The method involves
systematic dropping of heavy weights, 100 to
400kN, from a height of 5 to 30m, in a pattern
designed to remedy poor soil conditions at the
proposed building site. In soft ground areas,
dynamic compaction has proved to be an
effective and economical alternative
preloading, foundation piling, deep vibratory
compaction, and soil undercutting
replacement
Dynamic Compaction is normally used under the
following circumstances:
• To increase in-situ density and in this
way improve the bearing capacity and
consolidation characteristics of soils (or
waste materials) to allow conventional
foundation and surface bed construction
to be carried out. The technique
typically improves the in-situ soils such
that allowable bearing pressures of up
to 250 Kpa can be used with foundation
settlements of the order of 10 to 20 mm.
• To increase in-situ density and in this
way improve in-situ permeability and/or
reduce liquefaction potential
What soils are suitable?
Most soil types can be improved,
including silts and some clays. The most
commonly treated soils are old fills and granular
virgin soils. Soils below the water table are
routinely treated. However, careful control has to
and be used to allow dissipation of excess pore
pressures created during the weight dropping.
heavy
3.3. 3. BLASTING:
the
Blasting densification involves the
detonation of multiple explosive charges
vertically spaced at 10 to 20 ft apart in drilled or
jetted bore holes. The bore holes are usually
spaced 15 to 50ft apart and back filled prior to
to detonation. The efficiency of densification
process can be increased by detonating the
and charges at different elevations at small time
delays. Immediately after detonation, the ground
surface rises & gas & water are expelled from
fractures. The ground surface then settles as the
excess gas & water pressure dissipates. Two or
three rounds of blasting are often used to achieve
the desired degree of densification.
• Blasting is most effective in loose sands
that contain less than 20% silt and less
than 5% clay.
• Although blasting is quite economical,
it is limited by several considerations,
as it produces strong vibrations that
may damage near by structures or
produce significant ground movements.
3.3.4. COMPACTION GROUTOING:
Compaction grouting uses
displacement to improve ground conditions. A
very viscous (low mobility) aggregate is pumped
in stages, forming grout bulbs, which displace
and densify the surrounding soils.
 A consistency soil cement paste
is injected under pressure in to the soil mass,
consolidating, and there by densifying
surrounding soils in place. The injected ground
mass occupies void space created by pressure-
densification. Pump pressure transmitted through
low mobility grout, produces compaction by
displacing soil at depth until resisted by the
weight of over lying soils.
• Fine grained soils with sufficient
permeability to allow excess water to
dissipate best suits for compaction
grouting.
• It has also been used successfully in a
wide variety of soils and fills.
3.4. REINFORCEMENT TECHNIQUES:
In some cases it is possible to improve
the strength and stiffness of a existing soil
deposit by installing discrete inclusions that
reinforce the soil. These inclusions may consist
of structural materials, such as steel, concrete or
timber and geo materials such as densified
gravel.
3.4.1. STONE COLUMNS:
Soils deposits can be improved by the
installation of dense columns of gravel known as
stone columns. They may be used in both fine
and coarse grained soils. In fine-grained soils,
stone columns are used to increase the shear
strength beneath structures and embankments by
accelerating consolidation (by allowing radial
drainage) and introducing columns of stronger
material.
Stone columns can be installed in a
variety of ways. (They may be constructed by
introducing gravel during the process of
vibroflotation). In the Frankie method, a steel
casing initially closed at the bottom by a gravel
plug is driven to the desired depth by an internal
hammer. At that depth part of the plug is driven
beyond the bottom of the casing to form a bulb
of gravel. Additional gravel is then added and
compacted as the casing is with drawn. The
diameter of the resulting stone column depends
on the stiffness and compressibility of the
surrounded soil
3.4.2. COMPACTION PILES:
Granular soils can be improved by the
installation of compaction piles. Compaction
piles are displacement piles, usually prestressed
concrete or timber, which are driven into a loose
sand or gravel deposit in a grid pattern and left
there.
Compaction piles improve the seismic
performance of a soil by three different
mechanisms. First the flexural strength of piles
themselves provides resistance to soil movement
(reinforcement). Second, the vibrations and
displacements produced by their installation
cause densification. Finally, the installation
process increases the lateral stress in the soil
surrounding the piles.
Compaction piles generally densify the
soil with in a distance of 7 to 12 pile diameters
and consequently are usually installed in a grid
pattern. Between compaction piles a relative
density of up to 75% to 80% are usually
achieved. Improvement can be obtained with
reasonable economy to depth of about 60ft.
3.4.3 DRILLED INCLUSIONS:
Structural reinforcing elements can also
be installed in the ground by drilling or auguring.
Drilled shafts, some times with very large
diameters, have been used to stabilize many
slopes.
Soil nails, tie backs, micro piles have
been used for this purpose. The installation of
such drilled inclusions can be quite difficult.
However, the loose granular soils contribute to
increase the strength of the soil in a very
effective manner.
3.5 GROUTING AND MIXING
TECHNIQUES:
Grouting techniques involve the
injection of cementitious materials into voids of
the soil or into fractures in the soil so that the
particle structure of the majority of the soil
remains intact.
Mixing techniques introduce cementitious
materials by physically mixing them with the
soil, completely disturbing the particle structure
of the soil. Grouting and mixing techniques tend
to be expensive but can often be accomplished
with minimal settlement or vibration.
3.5.1. PERMEATION GROUTING:
Permeation grouting involves the
injection of low viscosity liquid grout into the
voids of the soil without disturbing the soil
structure. Particulate grouts (i.e., aqueous
suspensions of cement, fly ash, bentonite, micro
fine cement or some combination there of) or
chemical grouts (e.g., silica & lignin gels, or
phenolic & acrylic resins) may be used.
Grout pipes are typically installed in a
grid pattern at spacing of 4 to 8 feet. The grout
may be injected in different ways. In ‘stage
grouting’, a boring is advanced a short distance
before grout is injected through the end of the
drill rod. After the grout sets up, the boring is
advanced another short distance and grouted
again. This process continues until grout has
been placed to the desired depth.
Permeation grouting produces soil
improvement by two mechanisms. First the grout
tends to strengthen the contacts between
individual soil grains, there by producing a soil
skeleton that is stronger and stiffer than that of
the ungrouted soil. Second, the grout takes up
space in the voids between soil particles,
reducing the tendency for densification.
• Stopping leaks in below-grade
structures
• Stopping leaks in below-grade utilities
• Excavating support of non-corrosive
soils
• Strengthening of soil mass to accept
new loads

3.5.2. JET GROUTING:
:
In Jet grouting the soil is mixed with
cement grout injected horizontally under high
pressure in a previously drilled bore hole.
Jet grouting uses a special pipe
equipped with horizontal jets that inject grout
into the soil at high pressure. The pipes are first
inserted to the desired depth, and then they are
raised and rotated while the injection is in
progress, thus forming a column of treated soil.
• Because of high pressure, this method is
usable on a wide range of soil types.
3.6. STABILIZATON USING
ADMIXTURES:
SOIL STABILIZATION: It is the process of
improving the engineering properties of soil by
mixing some binding agents thus binding the soil
particles .In a broader sense it also includes
compaction, pre consolidation and many more
such process. Soil stabilization is classified as
• Mechanical
stabilization
• Chemical stabilization
3.6.1. MECHANICAL STABILIZATION:
Mechanical stabilization is the process of
improving the properties of soil by changing its
gradation. Two (or) more types of natural soils
mixed to obtain composite which is suspension
to any of its components
3.6.2. CHEMICAL STABILIZATION:
Chemical stabilization is the process of mixing
lime, cement, fly ash and the combination of the
above is widely used in soil stabilization to
• Reduce the
permeability of the soil.
• Improve shear
strength.
• Increase bearing
strength.
• Decrease settlement.
Soil and chemicals are mixed either
mechanically in place or by bath process .the
optimum benefit of using these agents in
stabilization must be determined by laboratory
testing. The general principle of these
admixtures as stabilizers is discussed below.
3.6.2.1. LIME STABILIZATION: This is
done by adding lime to soil. It is useful for
stabilization of clayed soils. When lime reacts
with soil, there is exchange of cations in the
adsorbed water layer and a decrease in plasticity
of soil occurs .The resulting material is more
friable than the original clay and is therefore
more suitable as sub grade.
This method is not effective for sandy
soils. However these soils can be stabilized in
combination with clay, fly ash or other
pozzolanic materials, which serve hydraulically
reactive in gradients.
3.6.2.2. CEMENT STABILIZATION:
Cement stabilization is done by mixing
pulverized soil and Portland cement with water
and compacting the mix to attain a strong
material .The material obtained by mixing soil
and cement is known as soil cement .The mix
becomes hard and durable structural material as
the cement hydrates and develops strength.
The soil cement is quite weather
resistant and strong. It is commonly used for
stabilizing sandy and other low plasticity soils.
Cement interacts with the silt and clay fractions
and reduces their affinity for water .It reduces
the swelling characteristics of the soil.
3.6.2.3. FLY ASH STABILIZATION: Fly ash
is a by product of the pulverized coal combustion
process. Fly ash has silica, alumina and various
oxides and alkalis as its constituents .It is fine
grained and pozzolanic in nature. Fly ash reacts
actively with hydrated lime and hence is used in
combination with lime as a stabilizer. A mixture
of about 10 to 35 % of fly ash and 2 to 10 % of
lime forms as effective stabilizer for stabilization
of highway bases and sub bases .Soil-lime-fly
ash mixes are compacted under controlled
condition with adequate quantity of water.
3.7. GEOTEXTILES: Soil conditions can be
improved in an excellent manner by using geo
textiles. Geotextiles are porous fabrics
manufactured products and others such as
polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene and
polyvinylchloride, nylon, fiber glass and various
mixtures of these. These are having
permeabilities comparable in range from coarse
gravel to fine sand.
Geotextiles have been used in a variety
of civil engineering works. Thus in the selection
of a proper geotextile, due importance has to be
given to the major function that the geotextile is
intended to perform. These are majorly used as
follows.
1. They acts as separators between two
layers of soils having a large difference in
particle size to prevent migration of small size
particles into the voids of large size particles
2. They act as filter. When the silt laden
turbid water passes through the geotextile, the
silt particles are prevented from movement by
the geotextile.
3. Geotextiles themselves function as a
drain because they have a high water
transporting capacity than that of the surrounding
material.
4. They serve as REINFOREMENT in
soil since they are a good in tensile strength.
3.7. ELECTRO OSMASIS AND ELCTRO
CHEMICAL HARDENING METHOD:
The electroosmasis process can be used
to increase the shear strength and reduce the
compressibility of soft clayey and silty soils
beneath foundation. By introducing an structures and pipelines due to
electrolyte such as calcium chloride at the anode, application of this technique.
the Base Exchange reaction between the iron
4. Reinforcement techniques introduce discrete
anode and surrounding soil is increased,
inclusions that stiffen and strengthen a
resulting in the formation of ferric hydroxides
soil deposit. The high stiffness and
which bind the soil particles together. However,
strength of the inclusions also tend to
the cost of electric power and wastage of
reduce the stresses imposed on the
electrodes, electroosmasis with or without
weaker material between the inclusions.
electrochemical hardening is to be considered
and it can be used only in special situations 5. Grouting techniques involve the injection of
where the alternative of piling cannot be cementitious materials into the voids of
adopted. the soil or into fractures of the soil, so
4. CONCLUSION: that the particle structure of the majority
of soil remains inject. In permeation
1. Unfavorable soil conditions can
grouting, very low viscosity grouts are
frequently be improved using soil
injected into the voids of the soil
improvement techniques. A variety of
without disturbing the soil structure. In
soil improvement techniques have been
intrusion grouting, thicker and more
developed. However a suitable
viscous grouts are injected under
technique has to be adopted according
pressure to cause controlled fracturing
to necessity of the structure and
of the soil.
economy.
6. Now a days, geotextiles are extensively used
2. Mainly soil improvement techniques
for improving the soil conditions. These
can be divided in to four broad
have multiple applications as they act as
categories; Densification technique,
filters, reinforcement, separations...etc.
Reinforcement technique, grouting or
mixing technique and stabilization
technique.

3. Densification is probably the most

5. REFERNCES:
commonly used soil improvement
technique. Most densification 1. “Geotechnical Engineering Principles &
techniques relay on tendency of Practices” by Donald P.Coduto
granular soils to densify when subjected
to vibrations. However there is a 2. “Foundation Design & Construction
possibility of damaging adjacent “by M.J.Tomlinson.
3. “Geotechnical Engineering” by
Purshotham raj

4. “Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering”

by Steven L.Kramar.