Installation Effect of Controlled Modulus Columns on Nearby Existing Structures

Controlled Modulus Columns (CMC) ground improvement technique is a novel approach to reduce ground settlement. To install CMC, a rotary displacement auger is used to form a vertical cylindrical cavity, by displacing the surrounding soils laterally, followed by grout injection. While the method reduces spoil generation, excessive lateral soil displacement may damage the adjacent structures and freshly-grouted CMCs. Although there has been growing interest in quantifying such effects, only a handful of studies have been attempted. This paper presents results of a numerical investigation on the CMC installation effect on an existing bridge pile using the three-dimensional finite difference software package FLAC 3D . The bridge pile response to the lateral soil movement induced by the CMC installation are presented and discussed.