The complex compaction method of an unstable loess substrate

Abstract

This paper describes a new complex soil compaction technology that is applied to collapsing soils. The components of the method include watering, underground explosions, and soil columns in the industrial area of south Russia. This method is attractive due to its low cost and consumption of materials and an interesting use of local materials to change the substrate properties. As a result, a semi-homogeneous ground structure with a thickness that exceeds 20 m was constructed. According to previous studies, monitoring of the neighboring buildings did not reveal any negative effects of the micro-explosions, even at a distance of 15 m from the source. This is due to the precise use of controlled energy from the underground explosion as a function of the depth and density of the material. Continuous monitoring was conducted after compaction; the results confirm the effect of the strengthening stability