Soil Improvement Methods for Safe Construction
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Posted On :
Oct-08-2013
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Article Word Count :
529
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As the earth’s population grows, more and more land is required for construction. Soil improvement methods are often used to make land usable that is unstable or otherwise unsuitable for construction.
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As the earth’s population grows, more and more land is required for construction. Soil improvement methods are often used to make land usable that is unstable or otherwise unsuitable for construction. There are a variety of soil improvement techniques available to make construction safe. The method used is determined by soil type, area and depth to be treated, the type of building proposed, and the economic feasibility.
Grouting Techniques
Grouting is used for certain types and porosities of soil, to increase its strength and stability and reduce movement. To achieve this, materials are pumped into the soil, or rock formation, in order to fill a void or change the physical qualities of the soil and make it denser. Summary grouting methods include permeation, claquage, compaction, and jet grouting. Grouting is important in stabilizing foundations, tunnel construction, and to minimize soil permeability and movement.
Vibration Compaction and Replacement
There are several methods of vibration, including Vibro-compaction and Vibro-replacement, which are used to make soil denser or to reinforce it. During Vibro-compaction, a vibrating probe is inserted into the ground and jets of water are used to saturate the soil. The combination of saturation and vibration rearrange the soil particles to become more compact. Fill material is added, from ground level, to cover the space left by the probe. Vibro-replacement can be used with cohesive materials. Here, granular or stone columns are created, in the space drilled by the probe, to reinforce the soil. These techniques are used to decrease settling, increase the load-bearing capacity of the soil, and reduce the risk of the soil liquefying in the case of seismic activity.
Structural Reinforcement
Structural reinforcements may be added to the soil to increase its stability and load-bearing capacity. For example, an earth wall may be stabilized with metallic strips or bars, attached to precast concrete, to create a solid mass. Soil nailing is another technique, which involves installing closely-spaced inclusions. The tensile forces created in the inclusions are transferred into the ground through friction at organized interfaces. Another effective and versatile method of reinforcement is to install micro-piles, which can support large amounts of weight.
Heating and Freezing
Soil particles may be heated into a glass-like product through the use an electrical current. Temperatures can range from three hundred to one thousand degrees Celsius, depending on the soil. Soil heating may be used to stabilize soil by making it denser or to restrict tainted or radioactive soil. Freezing the soil is a temporary support and containment technique. Refrigerant is distributed throughout the soil to turn the water content to ice, which strengthens the surrounding soil by bonding it together.
Geosynthetic Barriers
Geosynthetic materials may be used as barriers, reinforcement, to separate materials, or to provide drainage and filtration. Geosynthetics include geotextiles, geonets, geomembranes, and geogrids. These materials may be combined or used with other materials, such as bentonite soil, to create geocomposites.
The field of soil improvement techniques is quickly expanding as the demand for more usable land to build on grows. Innovative new methods and materials are being designed to make difficult areas further accessible to construction.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Soil Improvement Methods for Safe Construction_281419.aspx
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Author Resource :
The author has an immense knowledge on Soil improvement. Know more about Soil improvement related info in his website.
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Keywords :
Soil improvement, geo-solutions.com,
Category :
Business
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Business
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