ABSTRACT
The use of vibroflotation stone columns as a means to mitigate liquefaction of fine sands during earthquakes is well established. Limited laboratory testing of composite columnar samples has been carried out and it is proposed that this may be the most effective means of measuring the various parameters which provide the beneficial behaviour of columns under cyclic load. The paper describes modifications to an existing hydraulic triaxial testing system which enables the potential for liquefaction mitigation of drainage columns in loose sand, to be measured in the laboratory. The modified apparatus is used to establish the feasibility of replacing stone columns with similar columns composed of granular waste materials. This work is in its early stages and the paper therefore concentrates on the development of the proposed testing equipment and highlights the current limitations of the apparatus with respect to its small scale and low frequency load cycles.
