Consolidation theory for the stone column reinforced ground with time-dependent drainage boundary considering the foundation stiffness

Considering the foundation stiffness, this paper presents a new theory for consolidation of the stone column reinforced ground with time-dependent drainage boundary. The differential settlement between the soil the and column is obtained by using an improved equal-strain assumption. And the drainage capacity at the top of column is described by a time-decaying exponential function. Based on the above assumptions, a general solution for the differential governing equation is derived using the method of variables separation. A parametric study is carried out to evaluate the effects of the stiffness and the drainage boundary on the average degree of consolidation, the differential settlement and the stress concentration ratio. Finally, the settlement predicted by the present solution is compared with the measured settlement from a previous case study, and the value of the parameter in time-dependent boundary is discussed.