Experimental study on ground improvement using bottom ash columns

Abstract

This article discusses the bearing capacity behaviour of a rigid footing resting on soft soil reinforced by a group of bottom ash columns. Small-scale model tests were conducted to study the effect of column length on the bearing capacity of the composite ground. Several model tests were carried out on untreated and treated soil with bottom ash columns. For the treated case, a group of six bottom ash columns with a column diameter of 25mm was used. Bottom ash columns were constructed to depths of 50mm, 100mm, and 150mm with an area replacement ratio of 20%. Results show that the bearing capacity of the soft soil improved with the presence of bottom ash columns, furthermore the increase of column length greatly enhances the bearing capacity of the composite ground.