Analytical Models and Solutions for Consolidation of Composite Foundation with Long Prefabricated Vertical Drains and Short Stone Columns Based on Virtual Pile Method
Objective The combined composite foundation with long prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs) and short stone columns demonstrates significant engineering benefits in practical applications by integrating reinforcements with varying drainage capacities. However, its consolidation characteristics remain insufficiently understood, resulting in a lack of strong theoretical support for engineering practices. In this context, the consolidation of the entire foundation is considered in two parts: consolidation within the length of the drainage piles and consolidation beneath the bottom of the drainage piles. Previous research has shown that the primary and secondary consolidation settlements of the soil layer beneath the bottom of the drainage piles are often the main contributors to excessive post‒construction settlement. Therefore, particular attention is required for the consolidation theory of the combined composite foundation with multiple drains under this condition. Methods Taking the four common layout forms of composite foundations with stone columns-PVDs in engineering into account, the consolidation analytical model for the composite foundation with long PVDs and short stone columns was established, which considered stone columns as the central element and PVDs as the outer boundary. The PVDs of the outer boundary were reasonably simplified into an outer drainage ring using the area equivalent method. The composite foundation with long PVDs and short stone columns was divided into two layers: the upper layer, which was the composite foundation within the length of the stone columns, and the lower layer, which extended from below the bottom of the stone columns to the depth of the composite foundation. A virtual pile was assumed to exist at the bottom of the stone columns, with consolidation parameters identical to the surrounding soil, to ensure continuity conditions of pore pressure and seepage between the upper and lower layers of the foundation. Based on the assumption of equal strain, the smear effect during the installation of multiple drains and the radial bidirectional seepage toward the stone columns and PVDs within the soil were fully considered. The consolidation control equations were derived separately for the upper and lower layers of the composite foundation by incorporating these factors. During the consolidation process, it was assumed that the surface of the foundation was drained, and the bottom was not drained. The classical assumption of equal flow around the drains was applied to the boundary between the stone columns and the soil, as well as the boundary between the PVDs. Utilizing the method of separated variables, linear equations, properties of singular matrices, and the trigonometric orthogonality of pore pressure in the composite foundation, the analytical solutions for pore pressure and average consolidation degree of the composite foundation, soil, stone columns, and PVDs under instantaneous loads were derived for the upper, lower, and overall layers of the composite foundation. In addition, employing the superposition method, the solution of consolidation under k‒level multi-stage instantaneous loading conditions was obtained. Finally, the analytical solution result of the composite foundation with long PVDs and short stone columns was compared to the settlement data of an embankment project in Shanghai. The analytical solution demonstrated strong agreement with the measured settlement data of the project, indicating that the analytical solution of consolidation for the composite foundation with long PVDs and short stone columns accurately predicted settlement with high rationality and reliability. Results and Discussions A parametric sensitivity analysis was conducted to investigate consolidation behavior and optimize the methods of this composite foundation. The results showed that quantifying the acceleration effect of the composite foundation with long PVDs and short stone columns compared to traditional composite foundations with long PVDs and short soil-cement piles, the former significantly accelerated the consolidation rate, with a maximum difference of 15.9%. Increasing the penetration ratio effectively enhanced the consolidation rate of the composite foundation, with a more significant impact on the later stages of consolidation. In addition, augmenting the permeability coefficient and compression modulus of stone columns accelerated the early stages of foundation consolidation, and this influence became increasingly pronounced as the penetration ratio increased. Unlike the impact of stone column parameters on consolidation, increasing the number and permeability coefficient of PVDs also accelerated the rate of foundation consolidation, with a stronger effect in the later stages. The smear effect of stone columns has a significant influence on the composite foundation, whereas the smear effect of PVDs exerts a relatively weaker impact on the consolidation rate of the composite foundation due to their smaller size. Conclusions The results indicate that the analytical solutions correspond closely with the measured settlement data, establishing a reliable basis for practical engineering applications of the composite foundation under study. In addition, in comparison to traditional composite foundations consisting of long PVDs and short soil-cement piles, the configuration with long PVDs and short stone columns demonstrates clear advantages in the consolidation rate. Therefore, this research provides both significant theoretical insights and practical contributions. The parametric sensitivity analysis reveals that the effects of long stone column parameters and short PVD parameters on the consolidation rate differ considerably. The consolidated solutions and characteristic analyses of the composite foundation with long PVDs and short stone columns can not only provide guidance for related engineering foundations but also act as a reference for optimizing the application of this technology to attain greater engineering benefits.
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