An Investigation of the Effect of Combined Stone Columns and Piles on Settlement Mitigation and the Key Factors Influencing the Bearing Capacity of Stone Columns

Pourkiani, Ali; Toufigh, Mohammad Mohsen; Toufigh, Vahid

doi:10.22060/ceej.2026.24450.8308

An Investigation of the Effect of Combined Stone Columns and Piles on Settlement Mitigation and the Key Factors Influencing the Bearing Capacity of Stone Columns

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Ali Pourkiani ¹

Mohammad Mohsen Toufigh ²

Vahid Toufigh ³

¹ Faculty of Civil Engineering, Shahid Bahonar University. Kerman. Iran

² Faculty of Civil Engineering, Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman. Iran

³ Faculty of Civil and Surveying Engineering, Graduate University of Advanced Technology, Kerman, Iran

10.22060/ceej.2026.24450.8308

Abstract

Improving difficult and soft soils by means of stone columns is a favored technique to strengthen their ability to support loads. Yet, when loads are high or the subsoil is extremely soft, stone columns by themselves may not perform as they should. However, piles support heavy loads well, but they do not allow for drainage and are easily liquefied. We hope to understand how a compound system of stone and piles performs better than each part on its own, by using PLAXIS 3D software to model the system. The results of a raft at 10×10 meters on soft clay were compared against a system with no reinforcement, ground treated only with stone columns and ground treated only with piles. The way changes in diameter, length and the spacing of several stone columns impact their ability to support loads was also looked into parametrically. The data revealed that together, the reinforcements and raft material cause a big rise in bearing capacity and improved safety by decreasing settlement. It was found that a higher number of stone columns were the best solution for the raft foundation. The parametric study revealed that the bearing capacity of the stone column is mainly affected by its diameter.

Keywords

Stone Column

Pile

Settlement

Bearing Capacity

Combined Ground Improvement

Subjects