Ground Improvement Tehnique:

Issues, Methods and their

Selection

Dr. J.N.Jha,
Professor and Head (Civil Engineering),
Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College,
Ludhiana, Punjab-141006
 Present Day Scenario

• Best buildable lands not available for construction

• Available sites are having low strength because :
 Filled up sites,
 Low lying water logged,
 Waste lands,
 Creek lands with deep deposits of soft saturated
marine clays
• Another problem: Design loads are high and the site
is situated in seismic zones
 What are the options?

•Traditional foundation techniques sometimes costlier than

the super structure and in many situations can’t be built
•when a poor ground exists at the project site, designer
faces following questions:
Should the poor ground be removed and replaced with a
more suitable material?
Should the weak ground be bypassed laterally by
changing the project’s location or vertically by the use of
deep foundations? or
Should the design of the facility (height, configuration,
etc) be changed to reflect the ground’s limitations?
•Development of ground improvement, gives the
designer/bulder has a fourth option
To “fix” the poor ground and make it suitable for the
project’s needs

• Now the designer/builder faces new questions:

Should the problematic ground at the project site be
fixed instead of bypassed?
What are the critical issues that influence the successful
application of a specific fixing tool? And
Which fixing tool to be used from comprehensive
and diversified set currently available in the tool box?
What are the major functions of Ground improvement in
soil ?

(1) To increase the bearing capacity

(2) To control deformations and accelerate consolidation
(3) To provide lateral stability
(4) To form seepage cut-off and environmental control
(5) To increase resistance to liquefaction

• Above functions can be accomplished :

 by modifying the ground’s character - with or without

the addition of foreign material
The current state of the practice:

•Densification
•Consolidation
•Weight reduction
•Reinforcement
•Chemical treatment
•Thermal stabilization
•Electrotreatment
•Biotechnical stabilization
 Ground Improvement by Densification

Methods of Application :
 Vibrocompaction
Dynamic Compaction
Blasting
Compaction Grouting

Key Issues affecting densification:

(a) Percent of fines in the soil,
(b) Ability of the soil to dissipate excess pore water pressure,
(c) Energy felt by the soil,
(d) Presence of boulders, utilities and adjacent structures, and
(e) Mysterious phenomenon of ageing.
 Vibrocompaction
Loose granular soils are densified at depth by
insertion of vibrating probes into the ground
Compaction is achieved by impact and vibration,
Compaction is achieved by with or without the
use of a water jet or compressed air,
Compaction is achieved by with or without the
addition of granular material.
Densification can be achieved to up to 30 m in
depth
 Vibrofloatation
Schematic View and Equipment Used
1.Vibrofloat 2. Crane for Suspending Vibrofloat 3. Power Supplying Unit (75-150 KW)
Real Time Photos
 Nose Cone
Lower Most Part helps in Penetration in to the soil
Vibrofloat Eccentric Weight
Provides Weight, helps in lowering Vibrofloat
Water Jet
Creats a Quick Condition facilitating the vibrrofloat
unit to sink
Electric Motor
Develops a huge Centrifugal Force by its Rotational
Motion
Vibration Insulator
Prevents the vibration s to reach Hollow Tube
Follow Tubes
Facilitates the Vibrating Unit to Reach Desired Depth
Diameter and Length
Diameter- 300-400mm
Length- 2-3m.
 Procedure-Step

Step-1-Jet at the bottom of Step-2- Water Jet creats a quick

Vibrofloat is turned on and is condition in the soil thus
gradually lowered into the facilitating the vibrating unit to
ground sink under its own weight
Step-3-Granular material is Step-4- Vibrating unit is raised
poured from the top into the hole gradually in lifts (1 feet) and
through the annular space held for vibration for 30
between the hole and vertical seconds. This process is
pipe. Water from the lower jet is continued which compacts the
transferred to the top of Vibrating soil to the desired density
unit which carries the granular
material down to the hole.
 Grain Size
Distribution
Zone-B
Most suitable for
Vibroflotation since Quick
condition can easily be
created
Zone – C and Zone –D
Contains excessive amount
of Fines, Difficult to
compact and requires
considerable effort
Zone- A
Appreciable amount of
Gravel, Compaction by
Vibroflotation is
uneconomical
 Suitability of the Backfill
Suitability NumberSN = 1.7 {3/(D50)2 + 1/(D20)2 + 1/(D10)2}1/2
Where D50 ,D20 ,D10 are particle sizes corresponding to 10, 20
and 50 % finer of the backfill material

Range Of SN Rating of the Backfill

Material
0-10 Excellent

10-20 Good

20-30 Fair

30-50 Poor

>50 Unsuitable
 Comparison of CPT Test
CPT Test Performed Before Densification of CPT Test Performed After Densification of
Sand Fills Sand Fills
 Dynamic Compaction
 Repeated lifting and Dropping
of Weight at a location
 Tamping Weight
(Concrete/Cast iron/Steel)-
80 to 120 kN
 Ht. of Drop- 10 to 15m
 No. of drops (same location)-
8 to 12 times
 Formation of Crater like
Depression-Filled with Extra Soil
 Process Repeated- Grid Pattern at
a spacing of 2-4 m
 Densification of Soil- 4-8m below
GL
In-Situ Dynamic Compaction
 Blasting
Weight of Charge(Rough Guideline)- W= 164CR3
W = Weight of Explosive (N)
C = Coefficient (0.0025 for 60% detonator)
R = Radius of influence (m)
Arrangement of Explosive- Grid Pattern
Firing Pattern – From outside to inside
First Blast- At the corner of Periphery Line of First Grid from outside
Second Blast – At the Centre of Periphery Line of First Grid from outside
Third Blast - At the corner of Periphery Line of Second Grid from outside
Spacing – 3 to 8 m (Less than 3 generally avoided)
Depth of Stratum to be densified – 10m or less
•Depth of Explosive- 2/3 of depth
•Compaction - In one tier only
 Depth of Stratum to be densified – More than 10m
•Depth of Charge – Greater than Radius of Sphere of Influence (R)
•Compaction- More than one Tier
 Materials & Equipments
 Dynamite sticks.
 Electric detonator.
 Drilling equipment.
 Backfill material (Sand).
 Waterproof packets.
 Method
 Series of boreholes are drilled and Pipe of 7.5 to 10 cm is driven to
the required depth
 Dynamite sticks and detonator are wrapped in a water proof bundle
and is lowered through casings
 Casing is withdrawn and a wad of paper or wood is placed against
the charge of Explosive (To protect it from misfire)
 Boreholes are backfilled with sand to obtain full force of blast
 Electric circuit is closed to fire the charge
 The charge is fired in definite pattern
 For deeper deposits blast is done in stages
 Repeated shots are more affective than single larger one
 Each successive blast in a given area will cause less densification
than the one preceding
 Top 1m surface get disturbed and needs surface compaction
 Compaction Grouting
Step -1 Predrilled Compaction Grouting hole to
desired depth
Step-2 Insert Compaction Grouting Casing in
Predrilled hole
Step-3 Begin Pumping Low Slump Compaction
Grout Mix in Stages and withdraw at
Controlled rate
Step-4 Withdraw casing as stages are complete
until the hole is complete
 Key Issues Affecting Densification

Key Issues :
 Percent of fines in the soil,
 Ability of the soil to dissipate excess pore
water pressure,
 Energy felt by the soil,
 Presence of boulders, utilities and adjacent
structures, and
 Mysterious phenomenon of ageing.
 Presence of Fines

Fines act as lubricants reducing the frictional

resistance between the rearranged soil particles
of the densified mass.
In vibrocompaction, a fines content of 20
percent renders the process ineffective.
The amount of fines in the soil also affects
drainage properties
(A key factor when the densified soil is in a
saturated state)
 Pore Pressure Dissipation

In a saturated cohesionless material, during

densification a micro- liquefaction process takes place
allowing the soil particles to rearrange themselves
If excessive fines or cohesive soils are present,
dissipation of the excess pore water pressure
generated by the densification process is slowed down
(or maybe prevented) thus affecting the feasibility of
the applied method
 Level of Energy
Factors affecting Level of Energy:
Characteristics of the equipment (Vibrating frequency, Tamper
weight, amount of explosives, etc)
Configurations of application (probe spacing, drop height, depth of
charge, etc)
Ground characteristics, effectiveness of the applied procedures and
the experience of the equipment operator
Degree of saturation and the way weight is dropped (a crane drop
is less efficient than a free drop)
Presence of soft cohesive layers or peat has a damping effect on
the dynamic forces penetrating the soil, and thus the depth of
influence is reduced
 Proximity to Structures
The impact of the process 9 vibrocompaction or
dynamic compaction) on adjacent structures - A major
concern with no set criteria in present practice as to
how close can it be implemented next to an existing
structure
A recent project involving vibrocompaction of
hydraulic fill adjacent to a bulkhead structure:
• Horizontal deflection less than 10 mm when the
vibroprobe was 3 m away from the bulkhead
• Horizontal deflection increases to more than 50 mm as
the probe got within 2 m of the bulkhead
 Ageing
Mechanism
Increase in strength and deformation modulus with time to the possible
action of silica bonding between grains
Rearrangement of the sand particles during secondary compression,
resulting in gradual increase in particles interlocking
Example Ageing:
Strength increase of 35% from the second to the sixth week after a
major vibrocompaction application in Hong Kong
On a recent project in Norfolk, Virginia, USA, a 15-30 percent increase
in the relative density of a hydraulic fill, approximately 20 days after
vibrocompaction was measured due to ageing
Ground Improvement by Consolidation

Methods of application:

Preloading with or without vertical drains

Electro-osmosis
Vacuum consolidation
Preloading with or without vertical drains

Preloading is usually accomplished by placing surcharge fills

To accelerate consolidation, vertical (sand or prefabricated
wick) drains are often used with preloading
 Principle and Mechanism
Coefficient of Surcharge: Ratio of
weight used in preloading and wt.
of the final structure to be
constructed on the improved soil
Using a surcharge higher than
work load, soil always remains in
an overconsolidated state
secondary compression for
overconsolidated soil is much
smaller than that of normally
consolidated soil
Increasing the time of temporary
overloading or size of the
overload, secondary settlement
can be reduced /eliminated.
 Electro-osmosis

The process of dewatering assisted by the application

of a direct electric current is known as electro-
osmosis thus resulting in consolidation
soft clays whose moisture content cannot be reduced by
conventional dewatering methods.
In Electro-osmosis method, Electrodes are installed in
the soil and a DC current supplied which results water
movement from anode to the cathode
A wellpoint system or ejector well system used as
cathode which collects and removes the water from the
ground.
 Mechanism
Electro-osmosis transports
water of the clay pore space
to the cathodically charged
electrode
When these cations move
toward the cathode, they also
bring water molecules along
with them
These water molecules
clump around the cations as a
consequence of their dipolar
nature
Macroscopic effect of this
process is reduction of water
content at anode and an
increase in water content at
the cathode
Free water appears at the
interface between the clay and
the cathode surface
 Molybdenum Electrodes

Graphite Electrode
Metallic Electrodes

Shapes of Electrodes
 Connecting Wires

Electrodes Before Installation

DC Current Source
Flow of Water under Electro-osmosis
 Advantages and Limitations
Advantages Limitations
• Practical application limited
 Can be used for dewatering of
silty and clayey soils which are since very costly.
difficult to drain by gravity. • Before actual application on
 Method is fast and instantaneous. site Laboratory tests and site
 Environment-friendly method tests are imperative.
 Equipments required are few in • Huge amount of electricity.
number and easy to carry to the
site. needed
 Method useful for all types of • Highly skilled labour needed
soils. • Electrodes replacement needed
 Efficiency of this method is very from time to time.
high.
 Less man-power required to • Method becomes ineffective If
implement this method. the moisture content of the soil
is extremely low
 Vacuum consolidation
Vacuum consolidation,
Both liquid and gas (water and air) are extracted from the
ground by suction
This Suction is induced by the creation of vacuum on the
ground surface and assisted by a system of vertical and
horizontal drains
Vacuum is applied to the pore phase in a sealed membrane
system
The vacuum causes water to drain out from the soil and
creates negative pore water pressure in the soil
This leads to an increase in effective stress to the magnitude
of the induced negative pore water pressure, without the
increase of total stress
•For rapid pre-consolidation,
vertical drains (Prefabricated
Vertical Drains) along with
the vacuum preloading are
used
•Vertical drains helps to
distribute the vacuum
pressures to the deeper
layers and drain out water
from the sub soil
•Vacuum preloading with
PVD substantially reduces
the lateral displacement and
potential shear failure
•Maximum achievable
vacuum pressure in the field
is only about 80kPa
Schematic view vacuum consolidation technique
Advantages of Vacuum preloading technique
over the Surcharge preloading technique
•Ground improvement with vacuum preloading does not
require any fill material and there is no need of heavy
machinery
•Construction period is generally shorter
•The increase in effective stress under vacuum preloading is
isotropic. Therefore, the corresponding lateral displacement
is in the inward direction and there is no risk of shear failure
•Application of Vacuum Preloading improves Bearing
capacity of soil by 100% in the case of soft clays and
eliminates 70% of the total estimated settlement of design
load
•The overall cost of vacuum preloading is only about 2/3rd of
that with surcharge preloading
 Ground Improvement by Consolidation

Key Issues associated with consolidation:

 Stability during surcharge placement,

 Clogging of vertical drains, and
 Maintenance of the vacuum.
 System Stability

To safeguard against stability problems, the surcharge loads

are often placed in stages
Each stage of loading is added only after the soil has acquired
sufficient strength under the influence of the previous stage to
support the new load
Build up and dissipation of the excess pore water pressure and
the accompanying soil deformations are monitored to pinpoint
the time for stage placement
In case of electro-osmosis or vacuum consolidation no stability
problem is anticipated
 Clogging of Drains
•Clogging of the vertical drain is a key issue affecting the
feasibility of the system of ground improvement
•Major advantage of the plastic wick drains over sand drains is
their flexibility and ability to sustain large deformations of the
consolidating cohesive soil, which may otherwise shear and clog
the sand drains, rendering them ineffective
•The hydraulic conductivity of the wick drains is influenced by
the potential crimping of the material when large deformations
take place or clogging of the drainage channels due to an
ineffective filter jacket
•A non-wooven geotextile fabric is usually used to provide
filtering and ensure the hydraulic conductivity of the
prefabricated drains
 Maintenance of the Vacuum

• Maintaining the vacuum by providing an all-around seal is

critical for the successful application of vacuum consolidation
• Resistance of the membrane to tear during and after placement
is an important factor
• Membrane is covered by a layer of soil or by water ponding to
prevent its tear by vehicles, animals or birds attacks, or
vandalism
• Vacuum is generated by circulation of air through a series of
specially designed drains, installed to the depth of the layer to
be consolidated (new system developed recently in France
eliminated the need for the membrane)
 Ground Improvement by Weight
Reduction

Methods of Application:
Placing lightweight materials over the native
soil in one of three ways:
• Spread in a loose form, then compacted
• Cut in block forms, then stacked according to a
certain arrangement, or
• Pumped in a flowable liquid form
Lightweight material used for ground
improvement
Fill Material Source/Process Dry Unit Weight
(kg/m3)
Wood fibers Sawed lumber waste 550 – 960
Shredded tire Mechanically cut tire chips 600 – 900
Dredged underwater
Clam shells 1100 – 1200
deposits
Expanded shale Vitrified shale or clay 600 – 1040
Fly ash Residue of burned coal 1120 – 1400
Air-cooled slag Blast furnace material 1100 – 1500
Foaming agent in a concrete
Flowable fill 335 – 770
matrix
Block molded expanded
Geofoam 12 – 32
polystyrene
key Issues (Weight Reduction Method)

Placement of the lightweight material,

Longevity and long-term performance
 Material Placement

When fly ash is wet during placement, it may become

spongy and difficult to compact; and when dry it may
become too dusty and environmentally unacceptable

Crushing and knitting of the shells during compaction,

and contamination of the shell embankment with the
generated fines, may significantly affect its gradation
and performance.
 Longevity

• Flotation of the geofoam, its susceptibility to fire and to

deterioration from gasoline spills or insect borrowing, are long-
term longevity problems that require special measures

• Continued crushing and knitting of the shells under the influence

of vehicular traffic may reduce the drainage potential of the
embankment resulting :
Ponding of water at the surface
May reduce the frictional angle of the material, thus, increasing
its lateral pressure on supporting structures
 Ground Improvement by Chemical
Treatment
• Cement, lime, fly-ash, asphalt, silicate and others are used to
stabilize weak soils (bind the soil particles resulting in higher
strength and lower compressibility)
• Lime stabilization, an ion exchange reduces the soil’s
plasticity and improves its workability. The ion exchange is
then followed by a chemical reaction that increases the shear
strength
• In surface stabilization, the chemicals are mixed with the soil
and an appropriate amount of water, and then compacted
using conventional compaction equipment and procedures
• In deep mixing methods chemicals are applied at depth by
injection
 Methods of Application
Permeation grouting
Jet grouting
Deep soil mixing
Lime columns
Fracture grouting
 • Cement, lime, bentonite or chemical
grouts (silicates, etc.) fill the voids in
the soil to increase and cohesion and
Permeation grouting reduce permeability, with no change
in the volume or structure of the
original ground
• Microfine cement grout is the latest
addition to permeation grouting
• Grout additives may be used to
enhance penetrability and strength,
and to control setting time
• Grouting is performed by drilling
holes in the ground and injecting
slurry grouts through the end of a
casing, or through specialized
equipment such as a tube-a-
manchette
 • Uses high-pressure fluids, applied through a
nozzle at the base of a drill pipe, to erode the
Jet grouting soil particles and mix them with cement
grout as the drill bit is rotated and
withdrawn, forming hard, impervious
columns

• The grouted columns can be formed

vertically, horizontally or at an angle.

• A row of overlapping columns forms a wall.

• Jet Grouting is used mainly for excavation

support, underpinning, tunneling and
groundwater cut- off
 Deep Soil Mixing

• Technique consists of mixing in-place soils with cement grout

or other reagent slurries using multiple-axis augers and mixing
paddles to construct overlapping stabilized-soil columns
• By arranging the columns in various configurations, the
system can be used for strengthening of weak soils, for
groundwater cut-off, or liquefaction control
• When used for liquefaction control, the DSM system is
performed in a block or lattice pattern to resist the stress from
embankment or surcharge loading when loose cohesionless
soils liquefy during seismic ground shaking
• If needed, steel reinforcement is inserted in the column to
provide bending resistance
 Lime Columns
• Lime columns method is a variation of deep soil mixing, in
which unslaked quicklime is used in lieu of, or mixed with, the
cement
•The lime columns are suitable at best for stabilization of deep
soft clay deposits
• A pozzolanic reaction takes place between the lime and the clay
minerals resulting in substantial increase in the strength and
reduction in the plasticity of the native material
• The heat generated by hydration of the quicklime also reduces
the water content of the clayey soils, resulting in accelerated
consolidation and strength gain
• Lime columns can be used for load support, stabilization of
natural and cut slopes, and as an excavation support system
Installation step of Lime Column
 Protection of pile structure with
Stabilisation of light structure with
lime column
lime column

Stabilisation of cuts with lime column

 • Fracture grouting, is also known as
Fracture grouting Compensation Grouting.
• It is the injection and hydro fracturing with grout
slurry of the soil between the foundation to be
controlled and the process causing the
settlement
• Grout slurry is forced into soil fractures, hence
causing an expansion to take place counteracting
the settlement that occurs or producing a
controlled heave of the foundation.
• Multiple injections and multiple levels of
fractures create a complementary reinforcement
of the area.
• Fracture grouting is used to increase the shear
strength so that the resultant bearing capacity
could act as resistance of soils and to raise
structures.
Fracture Grouting Applications
• Elimination/Prevention of the settlement of
buildings
• Reduction or reversal of total settlement
• Prevention of the settlement of tunnels
• Reduction or reversal of differential settlement
 Key Issues involved in Chemical Treatment

Key Issues:
 Soil-grout compatibility and reactivity,
 Operational parameters,
 Column verticality, and
 Weathering effects
Soil-grout compatibility and reactivity
The type of grout used and the make-up of the grout mix are
dependent on the properties of the ground
In permeation grouting, the principal parameter affecting
permeation is the size of the intergranular voids, usually
represented by the soil’s coefficient of permeability
Success of jet grouting is influenced by ground characteristics
such as the size and frequency of boulders, and the presence of
peat or organic materials
In lime columns, the feasibility of stabilization and the amount
of lime needed for pozzolanic reaction are influenced by the
type of soil being treated
 Operational parameters
• All deep chemical treatment methods are operator-sensitive and
their success depends on operational parameters controlled by
the construction crew
• Both the strength and the permeability of the treated mass are
influenced by
Net amount of cement in the ground (controlled volumes of
cement, water and additives mixed at the grout plant or at the
top of the deep mix auger)
By the level of the soil-grout mixing achieved in situ
•In deep soil mixing, the grout flow is usually adjusted constantly to
accommodate varying drill speeds in different soil strata
•Diameter of the column is a function of operating parameters,
such as injection pressure, grout flow, and rod withdrawal and
rotation rates
• In case of fracture grouting the grout mix is adjusted by the operator
to provide the required performance(performance-type specifications)
 Column verticality
• The verticality of the constructed column is an important issue in
jet grouting, particularly when used to construct fluid barriers
• Multiple rows of overlapped columns are usually designed when
used for construction of a cut-off wall, on the basis of the
assumed permeability of the jet grouted column
• When two adjacent columns deviate from their vertical
alignments in opposite directions, the required column
overlapping may not materialize, and voids may develop in the
jet grout wall rendering it ineffective as a cut-off wall
• The verticality and overlapping of columns are less of an issue in
deep soil mixing since the columns are constructed to fixed
diameters and the overlapping is ensured by the construction
process
 Weathering effects

• Long-term behavior of the chemically-treated soil structure is

influenced by weathering, particularly if it is continuously
exposed to weathering elements such as water, wind or
temperature
• Lime-treated soils absorb less water with time and also dry faster
• Frost heave in lime-stabilized soils is more particularly if the
soils are frozen within one month after compaction
• Resistance against frost-thaw effects, however, increases rapidly
with curing time as the strength of the stabilized soil is increased
• Resistance of the chemically treated soils to weathering effects is
tested through durability tests involving wet-dry or freeze-thaw
cycles
 Ground Improvement by Reinforcement
Methods of Application:
Mechanical stabilization
Soil nailing
Soil anchoring
Mirco piles
Stone columns
Fiber reinforcement

Key Issues Affecting Soil Reinforcement:

(a)Load transfer to the reinforcing elements,
(b)Failure surface of the reinforced soil mass,
(c)Strain compatibility between the soil and the reinforcement,
(d)Arrangement of the reinforcing elements,
(e)Durability and long-term behavior of the reinforcements.
Ground Improvement by Thermal Stabilization
Methods of Application:
Ground freezing
Vitrification

Key Issues of thermal stabilization

(a)Degree of saturation of the soil,
(b)Rate of groundwater movement,
(c)Creep potential of the frozen ground,
(d)Post thawing behavior,
(e)Heat transfer in the melted soil and
(f)Impact of heat on utilities and adjacent structures.
 Ground Improvement by Electrotreatment

Methods of Application:
Electrokinetic remediation
Electroheating
Electrokineting fencing
Bioelectrokinetic injection

Key Issues in Electrotreatment

(a)Soil’s electrical conductivity,
(b)Ionic characterization of the contaminants, and
(c)Impact on buried objects and utilities
 Ground Improvement by Biotechnical
Stabilization
Methods of Application:
Brush layering
Contour wattling
Reed-trench layering
Brush matting
Live staking and others

key issues affecting biotechnical stabilization

(a)Development of artificial cohesion in the ground,
(b)Effects of evapotranspiration, and
(c)Durability of the vegetation
 Factors affecting the selection of a ground
improvement method

(a)Ground,
(b)Groundwater
(c)Construction considerations including schedule,
materials, accessibility, right-of- way, equipment and
labor
(d) environmental concerns,
(e) durability, maintenance and operational requirements
(f) contracting, politics and tradition,
(g) cost
Thank you...............
Waste Containment with Geosynthetics
Large quantities of waste are being produced
since 1990 due to Rapid industrialisation and
Excessive urbanisation
Waste needs to be disposed off and only disposal
bin is ground and it occupies large chunk of land.
 One million ton of municipal solid waste
occupies approximately one million square meter
(One square kilometer of land area when waste is
spread uniformly with a thickness of one meter)
Other problem associated with waste disposal

Another problem with the disposal of waste :

Source of pollution
Contaminates the soil beneath the waste
Contaminates the ground water as
contaminants travel from the solid waste to
the subsurface environment
Other sources of subsurface contamination

Ponding or impoundment of Liquid Waste :

Slurry type liquid waste
Leakage from storage of liquids in underground
tanks
Leakage from pipelines that transport liquid
Accidental spills of toxic liquid
Application of fertilizers , pesticides on large
agricultural areas
How to tackle and minimise this damage
Design and implementation of solution for
detection, control, remediation and prevention of
subsurface contamination
Protection of uncontaminated land
Analysis of the fate of contaminants on and in
the ground including transportation through
geomedia
Use of waste material on and in the ground for
geotechnical construction
 Pollution:MSW/ISW
Municipal solid waste/Industrial solid waste place on the
ground: two most significant source of subsurface
contamination
Water infiltrates into waste and reacts physically,
chemically and biologically to produce leachate
Leachate infiltrates into the ground causing subsoil and
ground water contamination
Solid waste continues to stay at the location where it is
placed for years
Therefore the process of leachate infiltration into
subsurface environment continues , slowly but surely for
several yearss
 Control and Remediation

Clean up of soil involves - Treatment of three phases in

soil:Solid soil particle, Liquid pore fluids and Pore gases
Methods
Controlling the spread of polluted zone by installing
impermeable vertical barriers (cut-off walls) all around
and horizontal cover above the contaminated site
Removing the source of contamination and placing it in
designed facility
Excavating the affected soil, washing it or teating it and
placing it back after treatment
Pumping out the contaminated ground water by using a
set of tube wells installed in the
Contaminated zone , treating the ground water and the
injecting the purified waterback (Pump and Treat
Method)
Pumping out pore gas from the unsaturated zone using
gas wells and allowing air to enter through injection
wells
Using micro-organism to biomediate the sub soil and
ground water by transforming or immobilzing the
contaminants
Using thermal treatment e.g. incineration
 Control of subsurface contamination for
new facility
For solid waste: Providing impermeable flexible liners at
the base and covers on top of all Solid waste disposal
facilities to minimize leachate formation
For slurry type waste: Providing storage in ponds and
impoundments having incrementally raised
embankments and impermeable flexible liners at the base
For liquid: providind storage in ponds with impermeable
flexible liner
For underground liquid storage facility: Providing
double walle tanks with leakage detention system placed
between the walls