Quite often, foundation engineers encounter a thick layer of collapsible soil. This type of soil possesses considerable strength, which is largely lost when the soil becomes wet. Excessive settlement and lateral deformation accompany this significant loss in strength. As an alternative to conventional deep foundations, stone columns encapsulated in geofabric reinforcement may be used to transmit foundation loads to suitable bearing strata below the collapsible soil layer. This paper presents an experimental investigation on the performance of stone columns encapsulated in geofabric installed in a collapsible soil layer and subjected to inundation. The carrying capacity of the columns and their settlement characteristics were investigated. Columns made of sand were tested with different lengths, degrees of inundation and different strengths of geofabric. Based on the results of the present experimental investigation, it can be reported that unreinforced sand columns in collapsible soil did not contribute significantly to the soil's performance. Furthermore, premature failure of the column was noted. The carrying capacity of encapsulated sand columns increases owing to an increase in strength of the geofabric material and/or an increase in column length. The settlement of the column's head due to external loading and inundation decreases owing to an increase in column rigidity and/or an increase in column length (up to a maximum value equal to the thickness of the collapsible soil layer). Theoretical models were developed to predict the carrying capacity and settlement of these columns. Comparison of the results predicted by the proposed theory and experimental results of the present investigation and those reported in the literature showed good agreement.
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