Synopsis of the Seminar

A good ground improvement method should be based on sound concepts and working principles. It requires the knowledge of fundamental behaviour of soils, the knowledge of various ground improvement techniques, understanding of soil-structure interaction, the knowledge of performance and limitations of available equipment and of course economics. This seminar aims to provide information on the above by presenting on the implementation of ground improvement works in civil engineering projects from the site investigation stage up to the construction stage. A comprehensive review of the latest developments in ground improvement construction methods and some emerging techniques will be presented. The presenter will be drawing from his experience of more than 40 years in the field of ground improvement to showcase some of the interesting ground improvement projects around the world. Throughout the seminar, real examples of projects completed using various ground improvement methods will be used to illustrate the applications of ground improvement methods in civil engineering projects from the more common embankment constructions to more complex projects like foundations for tank farms and buildings.

The seminar will start with discussion on the site investigation campaign to be conducted for ground improvement works. Focus will be given on the in-situ ground testing methods with particular focus on pressuremeter test (PMT) as the soil parameters obtained from the test are very relevant for the design of ground improvement techniques – soil modulus for settlement calculations and limit pressure for bearing capacity calculations. The first ground improvement method to be discussed will be the consolidation method. This method groups the ground improvement without admixtures in cohesive soils and encompasses techniques such as preloading using fill (including the use of vertical drains), preloading using vacuum pressure (including combined fill and vacuum), electro-osmosis or electro-kinetic consolidation, etc. Subsequently, the compaction method, which is ground improvement without admixtures in non-cohesive soils or fill materials will be discussed. This method covers the dynamic compaction, vibro compaction, surface compaction, etc. Finally, the ground improvement using reinforcement methods will be discussed. This is a big topic covering methods such as vibro replacement or stone columns, dynamic replacement, sand compaction piles, rigid inclusions like controlled modulus columns, mixing methods, jet grouting, etc. As such, only a few selected methods will be discussed in details.


About the Speaker:

Serge Varaksin, M.Sc

Mr. Serge Varaksin was born in 1943 in Belgium. After completing his civil engineering degree he was admitted on a work-study program at Northwestern University Evanston, USA. He completed his master’s degree under Professor Jorg Osterberg and published his research on relative density below groundwater table in the ASTM, STP 523, Book.

He joined the Menard France in 1973 and since then, devoted his career in creating the present network of companies of Menard around the world, applying the ideas of Louis Menard and Jean-Marie Cognon, as Overseas Manager and later Deputy General Manager of this group. He has recently retired but continues to act as adviser of the president, expert on ground improvement projects and lecturer.

Author of over 50 international publications, he has specialized in ground improvement techniques of Dynamic Consolidation, Dynamic Replacement, Vacuum Consolidation, Controlled Modulus Column, Stone Column and is developing an analysis of man-made fills not normally consolidated. He has given several keynote lectures on those subjects in international conferences and participated in several touring lectures as organised by the ISSMGE. In 2006, he was given the task to chair of the TC17 on ground improvement by Professor Seco Pinto, Chairman of the ISSMGE and to participate to the state of the art report for the XVII International Conference for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering of Alexandria in 2009. In 2013, he chaired the ground improvement session at the 18th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering in Paris. Currently, the manufacturing company APAGEO who produces the Menard equipment has retained him as scientific advisor.