A STUDY ON THE APPLICATION OF QUICK-LIME CONSOLIDATED BRIQUETTE PILES IN LOOSE SANDY SOILS

Abstract

During earthquakes, saturated loose sandy soils often liquefy, causing serious damage to buildings and underground structures. Various construction methods have been employed to stabilize these soils against liquefaction, the most popular being those which increase their density. Vibration and impact methods are commonly employed, but these are often a problem in urban areas. We studied the usage of a composite soil improvement material called Quick-Lime Consolidated Briquette. This material is placed to form cylinders, resulting in static consolidation of the surrounding soil due to absorption of soil water and consequent swelling. In our study, static consolidation increased density, and the swollen material became aggregate-like soon after placement, thus quickly stabilizing the surrounding soil. This report examines the preventive effect of quick-lime consolidated briquette piles against liquefaction as well as a method of determining optimum pile diameter and pitch.