ABSTRACT
Stone columns, either by the vibro-replacement or vibro-displacement methods, are one of the most common improvement techniques for foundation of embankments or structures on soft soil. A considerable number of stone columns are usually involved in a problem, what implies a complex modelling process. There are mainly five different alternatives:
– Unit cell. Only a “unit cell”, i.e. one column and its surrounding soil, is modelled in axial symmetry (e.g. Balaam & Booker 1981).
