Verificação da capacidade de carga do terreno de fundação reforçado com estacas granulares

Abstract

One of the globally recognized soil improvement techniques is the use of stone columns through the vibro-replacement method. The sand columns, executed through the vibro-compaction method, represent a variation of this technique that has gained popularity in Brazil due to its practical and cost-effective nature. The objective is this technique is to enhance soil parameters, leading to an increase in the bearing capacity. In certain scenarios, using this method makes it technically and economically feasible to construct flat-bottom silos without the need for concrete piling or other more expensive solution, it is capable of mitigating excessive settlements, a common issue when shallow foundation like rafts is supported on low-resistance layers. This study harmonizes theoretical investigations of stone columns with numerical modeling of sand columns, analyzing by PLAXIS 2D software was employed to assess the validity of methods for both techniques. The implementation of the technique resulted in a 57% reduction in settlements and a ~1,5x increase in soil/foundation bearing capacity. Finally, by varying the analyses, relationships were determined between the geometry and achievable improvements were determined, highlighting the recommendation for conducting tests to confirm or refine the results obtained in this study.