Field Investigations on Performance of T-Shaped Deep Mixed Soil Cement Column–Supported Embankments over Soft Ground

The soil cement deep mixing method has been used to improve soft clayey soils under embankment loading conditions. A compacted granular fill layer or geosynthetic reinforcement layer is placed over the top of soil cement deep mixed (DM) columns to reduce differential settlement between DM soil and the surrounding untreated soil, which, in turn, increases embankment stability. Typically, in conventional deep mixing methodology, the soil cement columns are closely spaced, indicating large area replacement ratios in the construction projects. Such practice could increase construction costs substantially. In this research, a new type of DM column, called a T-shaped DM (TDM) column, was designed and used as an alternative to the large-area-replacement-ratio DM columns employed in the field. Unlike in the…