Field study of the process of densification of loose and liquefiable coastal soils using gravel impact compaction piers (GICPs)

This study evaluates the performance of gravel impact compaction piers system (GICPs) in strengthening retrofitting a very loose silty sand layer with a very high liquefaction risk with a thickness of 3.5 meters in a multilayer coastal soil located in Bushehr, Iran. The liquefiable sandy soil layer was located on clay layers with moderate to very stiff relative consistency. Implementation of gravel impact compaction piers is a new generation of aggregate piers. After technical and economic evaluation of the site plan, out of 3 experimental distances of 1.8, 2 and 2.2 meters between compaction piers, the distance of 2.2 meters was selected as a winning option and the northern ring of the site was implemented with 1250 gravel impact compaction piers. Based on the results of the standard penetration test in the matrix soil around the piers showed that the amount of (N1)60 in compacted soils was in the range of 20-27 and on average 14 times the amount of (1-3) in the initial soil. Also, the relative density of the initial soil was increased from 25% to 63% after soil improvement. Also the safety factor of the improved soil is 1.5-1.7 times the minimum required according to the two risk levels in the design.