Stone Columns Services

The increasing demand for new infrastructure developments has recently led to an escalating trend to develop sites with inadequate ground conditions that were previously considered uneconomical to develop. These situations have posed challenges that Nicholson is meeting by cultivating innovative techniques like stone columns to overcome problematic soil conditions.

Stone columns reinforce cohesive soils and densify granular soils in order to increase bearing capacity, decrease total and differential settlement, provide vertical drainage pathways to increase the time-rate of consolidation settlement, and reduce the potential for liquefaction.

In contrast with vibro-compaction, which is undertaken solely to compact granular soils, stone columns may be installed in granular or cohesive soils. Vibrated stone columns are relatively stiff with respect to the surrounding ground.

Nicholson installs stone columns using either top or bottom-feed systems, either with or without jetted water. The top-feed method is used when a stable hole can be formed by the vibratory probe. With the dry method (top or bottom-feed), the vibroprobe is inserted into the ground and penetrates to the target depth under its own weight and compressed air jetting. For rig-mounted models, pull-down further aides the downward penetration.