ABSTRACT
Ground improvement is essential for foundations constructed on soft, compressible soils in order to ensure stability and avoid failure. One effective method of improving the bearing capacity and reducing the settlement of existing ground is reinforcing it with stone columns. With a growing focus on sustainability, alternative materials to natural aggregate are increasingly being explored as stone column fillers. This work experimentally investigates the load-settlement behaviour of clayey soil reinforced with groups of stone columns composed of both natural crushed stone aggregates (CSA) and construction and demolition waste (CDW) materials. Load tests were performed on groups of columns with diameters of 50mm, 75mm and 100mm, utilizing each type of filler material independently. The findings indicate that both CSA and CDW can significantly enhance the load-bearing capacity of clayey soil, with the latter exhibiting performance comparable to that of CSA. This study advances sustainable ground improvement by demonstrating the potential of CDW-based stone columns for stabilizing clayey soil and diverting substantial waste from landfills.
