Discussion on 'Stress Concentration Ratio of Model Stone Columns in Soft Clays' by Fattah, M., Shlash, K., and Al-Waily, M., Geotechnical Testing Journal, Vol. 34, No. 1, Paper ID GTJ103060

摘要

The authors state that "Most researchers consider the stone column to behave as a pile. Therefore, the criteria proposed for defining the failure load of the pile can be adopted for stone columns." The writer does not agree with this statement. By definition, a pile is essentially a very slender pier that transfers a load either through its lower end onto a firm stratum, or else through side friction onto the surrounding soil (Terzaghi et al. 1996). In soft soils, due to the massive difference between the soil and pile strengths, almost all of the load is carried through the pile. On the contrary, stone columns are inclusions in the soil that, based on the implemented replacement ratio that has been used, increase the mass properties of the soil without the objective of transferring the loads directly to a better stratum.