Installation effects of statically compacted stone columns for a railway embankment on soft soil: Results from a large-scale field test in Northern Sweden

Le résumé fourni par la source

Stone columns are a common ground improvement technique for soft soils, and a more sustainable binder free alternative to deep mixing. However, conventional vibro-displacement installation often causes significant lateral soil displacement and property alteration. This has limited the application of stone columns in sensitive soils, e.g. in Scandinavian silts and clays. To reduce soil disturbance, statically compacted stone columns are being explored as an alternative installation approach inspired by the Silent, Advanced Vibration-Erasing Compozer method developed in Japan. A full-scale field test is ongoing in northern Sweden to evaluate installation effects and long-term performance of statically compacted stone columns under a railway embankment on soft sensitive soil. Comprehensive in-situ and laboratory testing was conducted before and after column installation to evaluate changes in soil properties and assess the degree of disturbance caused by the method. The test site, set up in autumn 2024, was extensively instrumented to monitor pore pressures, lateral movements, settlements, and load transfer during installation and subsequent loading. Data collected during the construction and initial loading phases in autumn 2024 and spring 2025 provide valuable insight into soil structure interaction and column performance. This paper presents monitoring results pre, during and post installation of the stone columns, focusing on the immediate effect on the surrounding soft soil. Preliminary results indicate that the statically compacted stone columns caused limited soil disturbance and provide sufficient load transfer, demonstrating their potential as a sustainable and competitive foundation solution for embankments on soft Scandinavian soils.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.