ABSTRACT
The present work describes the use of the seismic dilatometer test (SDMT) and the piezocone test (CPTu), to assess the effects of ground improvement at a wastewater treatment plant in Guayaquil, Ecuador. The ground improvement consisted of 15 m-long, 0.55 m-diameter and 2 m-spacing stone columns built with vibro-replacement technique. The tests were carried out both in natural and in treated soils to compare the variation of the geotechnical parameters in the analyzed deposits. The results show specific sensitivity of the DMT over the CPTu tests to the ground improvement into the layer composed of sands and sandy silts, while VS values show a limited increase in the treated area.
