ABSTRACT
Application of ground improvement methods mostly relies on semi-empirical design approaches. Before the construction is commenced, the design is always verified and improved based on the feedback of the pilot test with various on-site monitoring results. This paper presents the pilot test results of dynamic compaction and sand drains and discusses the on-site monitoring results and effectiveness. In the dynamic compaction case, the vibration induced by the falling weights is monitored to determine the impact on the adjacent structures. The observation of piezometer showed that the induced excess pore water pressure dissipated faster than the estimated time based on the permeability of the sand layers. In the sand drains case, the design was assessed by rechecks of the empirical charts and correction of fine grain contents to obtain the optimal spacing that meet engineering economy requirement and improved the construction time and effectiveness of ground improvement.
