What is the mechanical strength of a slurry wall?
The slurry wall has virtually no mechanical strength and cannot therefore be used as a retaining wall. It can be subject to erosion and cannot withstand large hydraulic gradients.
I have large surface areas requiring treatment; what method should I use?
A wide variety of tools is available to choose from, depending on the application. For this type of application, you could for example use cutting tools to rapidly build wall or cell systems.
How can one ensure continuity of the bi-modulus column at the interface?
Two main types of tests – loading and stripping – are carried out during the project to ensure, through visual inspection, the quality and quantity of the interface.
I need to compact the ground near an adjacent site. Can I use RIC Compaction technique?
The rapid compaction technique is suitable for use in small spaces, such as within or next to existing warehouses. In such cases, vibrations in adjacent structures are carefully monitored during rapid impact compaction.
What settlement is to be expected during works?
The initial trial area defines the value precisely, but as a general rule, vibrocompaction of fill placed hydraulically generates settlement amounting to 7 to 10% of the height of the soil treated.
My worksite has an area of only 1,500 m²; is dynamic compaction cost effective?
For an urban or a small worksite, a Rapid Impact Compaction system can be used to compact the soil using the same technique as conventional dynamic compaction, but with depths of treatment are generally limited to about 5 to 6 meters.
There are structures 20 metres from my worksite; can I use dynamic compaction?
We systematically monitor the vibrations generated on neighboring structures throughout the project. If need be, preventive steps can be taken (reducing the height of release, installing vibration mitigation trenches) to sharply reduce the vibrations transmitted to neighboring structures, even at less than 20m.
Can stone columns be installed if organic materials are present?
As a rule they cannot be installed to address geotechnical issues related to load-bearing capacity and settlement, due to lack of lateral confinement and the risk of creep. But they can be considered when the project is designed to provide drainage or slope stability.
Is it necessary to pre-excavate pilars to carry out dynamic replacement?
No, because the initial pounding of the platform is generally sufficient to form the crater that initiates the dynamic replacement pillars. After filling this crater, pounding drives the “compacted plug” into the soil, which then serves as the basis for the formation of the rest of the pillar.
Can I use dynamic replacement in organic soils?
The large diameters (2 to 2.5 meters) and low slenderness ratio of dynamic replacement pillars make them suitable for treating very loose, waterlogged and highly organic soils. If need be, preloading can be carried out to reduce residual settlement.