Deep Soil Stabilization Design and Construction of Lime and Lime Cement Columns




0. SUMMARY

0.1. Applications of Lime and Lime/Cement Columns

Soft normally consolidated clays and organic soils with a low shear strength are usually stabilized in Sweden and Finland by lime or lime/cement columns manufactured by mixing the soil in-situ with lime, cement, fly ash, gypsum or granulated blast furnace slag. This soil stabilization method is mainly used to increase the stability and to reduce the settlements of embankments constructed on soft clay and to stabilize trenches required for sewer lines, heating ducts or water mains.

The diameter and the length of the columns have increased gradually since 1967 when the method was first introduced and the time required for the manufacture of the columns has been reduced significantly as well as the costs due to the development of efficient machines for the installation of the columns. Methods have been developed to check in-situ the shear strength and the stiffness of the columns.

Lime and lime/cement columns have also been used to reduce traffic vibrations, to improve the stability of steep slopes and deep excavations. Gypsum, fly ash, granulated blast furnace slag and other waste products have been added to increase the shear strength and to reduce the costs. It has been possible to improve organic soils, primarily peat with cement in combination with granulated blast furnace slag.

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