1.

Explain Classifications of ground improvement techniques

Mechanical modification
 Application of mechanical forces & including various compaction techniques on
surface layers by impact rollers ,plate vibrators, static vibratory& deep compaction
techniques are applied to the soil to increase soil density
Hydraulic modification
 In these Hydraulic modification by using drains or wells the pore water that is present
on the soil is forced out.
 Hydraulic modification for coarse grained soil is achieved by maintain the low
ground water which is pumped from bore holes (or) trenches
 In fine grained soils electro kinetic stabilization (external force) (or) preloading are
applied long term to the soil

Physical and chemical modification

 Physical and chemical modification is obtained by soil stabilization process

 Process is generally obtained by mixing the various additives (i.e, natural soils, industrial
waste materials(or)cementations(or)various chemicals)react with different surface layers
of the soil present on the ground.
 Certain pressure is applied for the additives that are injected in to the ground surface to
fill the empty spaces (or)pores spaces (or) voids on the soils
 These process is filling and injecting is grouting.
 Stabilization obtained by thermal methods of modification such as heating and freezing
the ground surface

Modification by Inclusion and confinement

 In this the inclusion is provided by reinforcement of bars ,strips, meshes, fibers &fabrics that
should impact the tensile strength on a constructed subsoil mass& obtain a stable earth
retaining structure

2) Explain suitability, feasibility and desirability of ground improvement techniques.

These suitability, feasibility and desirability methods for ground improvement on a desired object will
depends on the following factors. They are,
(i) Sufficient time is available for construction.
(ii) Different materials involved have the durability and expected life to the structure against various
environmental and stress conditions.
(iii) There should be sufficient and enough amounts of materials and equipments are provided and the
work handled should be quality in nature.
(iv) Ground water resources can cause pollution (or) damage to the: adjacent structure.
(v) The various components: in these methods can be reusable.
(vi) For the analysis and design, the ground improvement methods should be reliable.
(vii) It can involve both reversible (and) irreversible for ground improvement process by suitability,
feasibility and desirability.
(viii) It should consider about geological structure, its seepage conditions and the type of soil, their
degree of ground improvement.
ix)Cost and toxicity (or) corrosivity of different chemical additives.

At last, if soil is moist, freezing is applicable to all type of soils

 The choice of a method of ground improvement depends on many factors including:
 • Type and degree of improvement required
• Type of soil, geological structure,
• Seepage conditions,
 Cost (the size of the project may be Decisive),
• Availability of equipment and materials and the quantity of work required, Construction time
available,
• Possible damage to adjacent structures or Pollution of ground water resources,
• Durability of the materials involved,
• Toxicity or corrosively of any chemical
Additives (government regulations may\ Restrict the choice of additives), Reversibility or
irreversibility of the process,
• Reusability of components,
• Reliability of methods of analysis and design,
• Feasibility of construction control and performance measurements.
 The feasibility of a particular method is strongly Related to the type of problem in hand:
• a foundation,
• An embankment on soft ground,
• An unstable slope,
• An excavation,
• An earth-retaining structure,
• A leaking dam or reservoir

3) Explain the need for ground improvement techniques for engineers.

The process in which In-situ soils are improved for the support of the foundation is known as Ground
Improvement

Need for Ground Improvement

• Low density and bearing capacity can be increased

• Swelling and Shrinkage properties can be controlled

• Problematic soils: collapsible, soft soils, organic soils and peaty soils in these soils the
strength can be improved

• Loosely deposited sands and gravels

• Handling contaminated soils

• Use of old mine pits

• Failure of slopes, effects of liquefaction can be controlled

When A Project Encounters Difficult Foundation

Conditions, Possible Alternative Solutions Are

 Avoid the particular site

 Design the planned structure (flexible/rigid) accordingly

 Remove and replace unsuitable soils

 Attempt to modify existing ground

 Enable cost effective foundation design

 Reduce the effects of contaminated soils

 Ensure sustainability in construction projects using ground improvement techniques

 Basic principle of ground improvement

 Ground improvement is the modification of ground properties in order to achieve the required
ground conditions for the particular use of the ground

 Densification of the ground ,Eg: Compaction

 Accelerate the consolidation Eg: Vertical Drains

 Usage of geo synthetics Eg:Geotexiles

 Usage of Admixtures Eg:Cement Stabilization

 Preloading

 Mechanical Stabilization

4) Explain Vaccum dewatering system with neat sketch.

 Gravity methods such as well points and deep well are not much effective in fine grains soil
with permeability in the range of 0.1 to 10x10ˉ³ mm/s,
 vacuum dewatering system requires well or well points screen and raiser pipes be surrounded
with filter sand extending to with in a few meters of ground surface.
 The top few portion of the hole is sealed are caped with an impervious soil are other suitable
material.
 By having the pumping main a vacuum pressure, flow of water in well points is increased.
 5)This method is most suitable in layered or stratified soils with co efficient of permeability
of range of 0.1 to 10x10ˉ4cm/s
 6) It is common to use suction pump in this system and the practical maximum height of lift
is about 3 to 6 m.

5) Discuss Electro Osmosis method with neat sketch.

 An external electromotive force is applied across a solid liquid interface the movable diffuse
double layer is displaced tangentially with respective to the fixed layer this is electro osmosis
method.
 Surface of fine grained soil particles causes net negative charge and positive ions in
solutions are attracted towards the soil particles and concentrate near their surface .
 Application of electromotive force blw two electrodes in a soil medium the positive ions
adjacent to the soil particles and water molecules attached to the ions are attracted to the
cathode and repelled by anode.
 Free water in the interior of the void spaces is carried along the cathode by viscous flow
 By making the cathode a well, water can be collected in the well and then pumped out
 External and internal phases of ions are distributed hypothetically in clay pores as shown in
fig
 Qe=Ke Ie A
 Ke is called electro osmotic permeability.
Unit being cm/sec for the constant potential gradient of one volt /cm
hydraulic coefficient of permeability k and rate of hydraulic flow depends up on size of voids
in the soil and consequently on the grain size
co-efficient of electro osmotic permeability and rate of electro osmotic flow are almost
independent of grain size may not depend on grain size
The range for most of the soils varies b/w 0.4-0.6x10ˉ4 cm/sec.
potential gradient should not exceed 0.5 volts/sec to prevent considerable loss of energy due
to heating of ground.

Disadvantages

Installation and running cost usually high

6) Explain open sump and ditches method with neat sketch

  It is the most economical method for installation & maintenance, which could be applied most
soil & rock conditions,

 This method widely used for collecting of seepage water in open sumps and ditches and can
be removed by gravity flow.

 Essential feature of the method is a sump below the ground level of the excavation at one (or)
more corners (or) sides to prevent the standing water on the floor of excavation, a small
ditch or grip is cut around the bottom of excavation falling towards the sump.

 The greatest depth to which the water table can be lowered by this method is about 8m below
the pump.

 ground water flows towards the excavation with a high head (or) a steep slope there is a
risk (or) collapse of the sides
 In open or timber excavations there is risk of instability of the base due to upward
seepage towards pumping in sump
7) Discuss Foundation Drain and Blanket Drains with neat sketch.

Foundation Drains

Where ground water is present in the vicinity of a structure provision should be made quickly carry
away the water from the building, when the depth below the water table is not too great ,it is feasible
to control the water by foundation drains .

Drain should not be placed lower than the bottom of the footing such a drain consists of a perforated
pipes or pipes with open joints so that the ground water can be enter into the pipe. a suitable filter
should be surround the pipes ,the collected water in the pipes is disposed of by gravity flow.

If disposal by gravity flow is not possible the drainage water has to be directed to sump pit and
pumped to a disposal.

Blanket drains

 Blanket drains are constructed below the dams and basement floor slabs to provide a drainage
path of high permeability for removing ground water acting against the bottom of the slab .
  By providing an escape path the uplift pressure can be minimized and the seepage through
floor can be arrested
 The blanket comprises of fine filter layer associated with the soil followed by coarse filter
cum collector filter and the later is in contact with underside of masonry dam.
The conduits are connected to blankets into a sump. Where collected water is pumped out and this
drains is also provide beneath the pavements

8) Discuss Criteria for Selection of Fill Material Around Drains.

 Selection of fill material around drains is carried out based on attaining sufficient
strength, stiffness and permeability after better compaction of soil mass

 Suitable fill materials include most graded natural granular materials and certain waste
products

 Proper care is to be taken in case of selection of cohesive materials

 When the material contains polluting chemicals sufficient provisions are to be adopted to
control the damage of structures or ground water pollution

 Selected material should be free from snow, ice

 Following Aspects Shall Be Considered While Selecting The Fill Material

 Grading

 Resistance to crushing

 Compatibility

 Plasticity

 Organic content

 Pollution control

 Solubility
  Resistance weathering

 Excavation, transportation and placement effects

 Adequate strength

9) Explain single stage and multi stage well point system with neat sketch.
Well point system

 Single stage well point system

 multi stage well point system

 Well points (or) filter wells are small well screens of sizes 50-80 mm in diameter & 0.3 -
1m length

 Well points are either with brass (or) stainless-steel screens and are made with either
closed ends (or)self jetting types.

 Well points are required to remain in the ground for a long period .ex dewatering a dry
dock(land) excavation.

 Economical to use disposable plastic well points which are of nylon mesh screens
surrounding flexible plastic riser pipes. water drawn through the screen enters the space
b/w the gauze and outside of the riser pipe to holes drilled in the bottom of this pipe and
then reaches the surface .the well points are installed by jetting them in to ground ,

• Capacity of a Single stage well point with a 50mm (dia) riser is about 10 lit/m.

• Spacing of well points depends on permeability of soil and on the availability of time to effect
the drawdown
 • In fine to coarse sands or sandy gravels a spacing of 0.75 to 1m, 1.5 for silty sands.

• For highly permeable coarse gravels spacing of 0.3 m is provided.

• Well point equipment comprises of 50-60 well points

• Well points to a single pump of 150-200mm pump with a separate jetting pump.

• Well point pump has an air/water separator and a vacuum pump as well as normal
centrifugal pump,

• A well point system is suitable when the site is accessible and where the water bearing
stratum to be drained is not too deep

• Well point system acts most effectively in sands & sandy gravels of medium permeability.

• Further in the well point system the water is drawn away from the excavation

• Installation of well point system is very rapid and requires reasonably simple and cheap
equipment

• Advantage

• The water is filtered and carries little or no soil particles because of this there is less danger of
subsidence of the surrounding ground.

• Limitations Serious limitations of well point system is suction lift,

• A lowering of about 6m below pump level is generally possible beyond which excessive air
shell be drawn into the system through joint in the pipes and valves etc.

• Resulting loss of pumping efficiency

• If the ground is consisting of mainly of large gravel ,stiff clay (or) boulders It is not possible
to install well points,

•
Multistage Well Point

 for dewatering deeper excavations the well points must be installed in two (or) more stages,

 There is no limit to the depth of drawdown in this way but the overall width of excavation at
the ground level become very large
 10) Explain about the objectives and techniques used in dewatering.

Objectives and Techniques

Dewatering objectives and techniques are generally based upon the gravity drainage and pumping
from wells and sumps in to the soil (coarse grained soils).
 Its main purpose is that it modifies the ground by,
 Water content can be reduced, .
 Seepage pressure can be redirected
 By lowering the water table.
 Gravity drainage over the time grained soils is ineffective and very slow, preloading (or)
electro osmosis process of dewatering is applied on the ground surface of the soil.
 The following are some objectives/reasons that are Carried out in different engineering works
(or) various mining projects are

(i) Soil erosion over the ground surface should be prevented.

(ii) Compressibility on the granular soils is generally reduced

(iii) Bearing capacity of soil foundations is increased.

(iv) At the time of earthquake, its liquefaction potential is to be reduced.

(v) Dry basements walls are provided.

(vi) Ground water and surface layer of soils are prevented from contamination of pollutants.

(vii) Side hill fills and slopes are excavated to increase the stability of soil.
(viii) Under/below the pavements, side hill fills, and cut slopes soil surface is prevented and
controlled by a seepage pressure and pore pressure.
(x) To prevent damage caused by frost heave, quick Stabilize bottom conditions are provided.