Stone Columns Analysis using Finite Element Method

Soils are one of the ancient construction materials and most part of the earth surface is covered with this type of material. Due to the weakness in shear strength and lack of tension strength of the soils, geotechnical engineers are concerned with complexity involved in soil behaviors. Stone columns are one of the vastly used methods to improve the weak soils in recent decades. In the industrial countries, and due to increase in construction industry, the land costs are increased and proper lands for constructions are decreased. As a result, in most cases, the constructions are made on fine grained and weak soils. To improve soils using conventional methods are costly and not economical.Recently alternative methods are introduced for soil improvement. Proper efficiency, accessibility to low cost materials, and easiness execution, seems that; using stone columns may be an economical choice for soil improvement. Stone columns increases the strength of weak soils, decrease the settlements under construction loading, and mitigate the liquefaction potential structures such as: roads, earth embankments, oil reservoirs and etc. In this article,the stone columns are analyzed using finite element method and a model is introduced

کلیدواژه ها:

Stone columns ، finite element method ، analysis ، soil improvement ، soft soil