Effect of performance method of sand compaction piles on the mechanical behavior of reinforced soft clay

Sand Compaction Piles (SCPs) are constructed by feeding and compacting sand into soft clay ground. Sand piles have been installed with irregular cross-sectional shapes, and mixtures of both sand and clay, which violate the design requirement of circular shape according to the replacement area ratio due to various factors, including side flow pressure. Therefore, design assumptions cannot be satisfied according to the conditions of the ground and construction and the replacement area ratio. Two case histories were collected, examined, and interpreted in order to study the effect of the shape of SCPs. The effects of the distortion of SCP shape and the mixture of sand and clay were studied with the results of large direct shear tests. The design internal friction angle was secured with the irregular cross-sectional sand piles regardless of the replacement area ratio. The design internal friction angle was secured regardless of mixed condition when the mixture of sand and clay was higher than the replacement area ratio of 65%. Therefore, systematic construction management is recommended with a replacement area ratio below 65%.