Performance of high density geopolymer pillars for ground improvement and structural support

Summary

This project aims to address some of the questions around design and in service performance of Geopolymer Pillar piles and will be underpinned by numerical studies.

Geopolymer Pillar is an emerging technology for ground improvement and structural support. The technology has been developed to solve problems caused by weak foundation soil conditions, which may be too challenging to treat cost effectively with conventional ground engineering methods.

In addition, as these piles use geopolymers they compare very favourably in terms of carbon emissions with traditional piling methods having cement based binders. As the technology is relatively new, there are many questions left unanswered is relation to its design and modelling.

This project aims to address some of the questions around design and in service performance of these piles and will be underpinned by numerical studies. Particular emphasis will be placed on the simulation of the installation processes. This would enable the modelling of the effect of the substantial stresses imparted in the ground as the pile is installed. Aspects related to in-service performance, i.e. reduction of settlement and onset of consolidation processes will be considered in the analysis. While the numerical studies can be developed for a general geotechnical ground improvement application, it is envisioned that the behaviour of the geopolymer Pillar be studied in soft ground.

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