Experimental and numerical study on treated load transfer platform on rigid inclusions

Rigid inclusion (RI) is a ground improvement method that has undergone significant development in recent years. Granular load transfer platforms (LTPs) are commonly used in this technique, leading to an increase in the use of natural resources. In this context, soil treatment can be considered as an alternative solution to limit pressure on granular material resources. As part of the national ASIRI+ (soil improvement using RIs) project, two full-scale tests were conducted to test the efficiency of a treated LTP on RI (with and without a working platform). Settlement and stress sensors were installed and indicated that the load transfer was immediate with a treated LTP, unlike with a granular LTP, where they were more gradual. The results indicated that the treated LTP behaved as a rigid slab with two failure mechanisms observed: punching shear and flexural failure. Numerical simulation tests were also performed, and a parametric study was conducted to assess the effect of various parameters on the system efficiency. Stress diffusion within the treated LTP was assimilated to a truncated cone, originating from the head of the RI and forming an angle φ (friction angle of the treated LTP) with the vertical.