Seismic Analysis of Floating Stone Columns in Soft Clayey Soil

Abstract

The response of floating stone columns of different lengths to diameter ratio (L/D = 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10) ratios exposed to earthquake excitations is well modeled in this paper. Such stone column behavior is essential in the case of lateral displacement under an earthquake through the soft clay soil. ABAQUS software was used to simulate the behavior of stone columns in soft clayey soil using an axisymmetric finite element model. The behavior of stone column material has been modeled with a Drucker-Prager model. The soft soil material was modeled by the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion assuming an elastic-perfectly plastic behavior. The floating stone columns were subjected to the El Centro earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.1 and a peak ground acceleration of 3.50 m/s2. The surface displacement, velocity, and acceleration in soft clayey enhanced by floating stone columns are also smaller than in natural soft clay. The findings of this research revealed that under the influence of earthquake waves, lateral displacement varies with stone columns of various lengths.