Enhancing ground stability with quarry dust columns: A comparative study of ordinary and encased configurations

Abstract Problematic soils like soft clay and porous sands may create substantial engineering issues such as poor shear strength and high compressibility. Stone columns have developed as a versatile choice globally, successfully conveying structural loads and enhancing soil performance, but with the growing environmental concerns, waste products can be used as a column filler as an alternative to the conventional stone columns. This work analyses the performance of waste quarry dust columns (QDC) in soft clay by experimental analysis, comparing ordinary quarry dust columns (OQDC) with encased quarry dust columns (EQDC) of varying diameters (2.54 cm and 3.8 cm) with various end conditions. Using California Bearing Ratio (CBR) tests, research investigates load-bearing capability and settling characteristics. Results reveal that end-bearing ordinary quarry dust column (EOQDC) with diameters of 2.54 cm and 3.8 cm show load capacities 8.79% and 106.04%, respectively, compared to the unreinforced soil. Similarly, end-bearing encased quarry dust column (EEQDC) display an increase of 57.55% and 195.81%, respectively. For floating condition, the floating ordinary quarry dust column (FOQDC) and floating encased quarry dust column (FEQDC) with diameters of 2.54 cm and 3.8 cm exhibit load increases of 4.86% and 81.04%, and 38.25% and 160.40%, respectively, compared to the unreinforced case. The findings suggest that quarry dust columns, both ordinary and encased, can significantly enhance load-bearing capacity and reduce settlement, making them a cost-effective solution for improving ground stability in construction projects.