Study on the settlement and the load-bearing capacity of Long An soft ground reinforced by the stone columns

Soft soil reinforcement methods by using the granular piles are very popular by improving the strength and deformation characteristics of the soft soils. There were many analytical methods such as Aboshi, Priebe, Vesic, Barksdale and Bachus’s method… to estimate the settlement and the load-bearing capacity of soft grounds reinforced by the stone columns. This paper analyzes the applicability of these methods, as well as the finite element method, via software PLAXIS 3D Foundation, with a real construction in Long An, Mekong delta, Viet Nam. The back analysis of measured settlements by applying Asaoka method showed a remarkable difference between the calculated and the observed settlements. The load-bearing capacity tests of the stone columns were carried out to confirm the real bearing capacity and failure mechanism of the stone columns. Finally, the recommendations to determine the settlement and the load-bearing capacity of soft grounds reinforced by the stone columns are proposed.