SYNOPSIS

This course will cover the following topics:

1) A brief update on the recent developments in various soft soil improvement methods will be given. These include different preloading methods, deep cement mixing methods and the use of geosynthetics and columns.

2) Latest methods with the design and use of prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs) and fill surcharge will be presented. Specific issues and considerations related to the selection of PVDs, design methods, design parameters, construction methods, smear effect and quality control tests for PVDs will be discussed. Other topics such as instrumentations, consolidation settlement calculation and prediction using field monitoring data will also be covered. Case histories on use of PVDs and preloading for soil improvement projects will be presented.

3) The latest development in vacuum preloading methods will be introduced. The advantages and disadvantages of each method will be highlighted. Technical issues such as mechanisms of vacuum preloading and dewatering, instrumentations, improvement depth, vacuum pressure distribution in soil, and methods for evaluating the degree of consolidation will be discussed. Methods for assessing the effectiveness of vacuum preloading methods will be introduced. Case histories on the use of vacuum preloading for soft soil improvement projects will be presented.

4) Different methods for construction on very soft ground will be introduced. In particular, methods for the formation of a working platform on very soft ground will be presented. The use of column supported load transfer platform and different types of columns will also be introduced with examples.

5) Methods for the evaluation of the undrained shear strength of soft soil and its variation with pore pressure changes will be discussed.

6) A few methods of using soft or excavated soil for land reclamation will be presented.


BIODATA OF SPEAKER

Professor Chu Jian is the Chair of School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Director of the Centre for Urban Solutions at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore. He also worked for Iowa State University, USA, as professor and James M. Hoover Chair in Geotechnical Engineering from 2011 to 2014. Currently, Prof Chu is the President of the Geotechnical Society of Singapore and the Chair for ISSMGE Technical Committee TC217 on Land Reclamation. His other involvements include being a Committee Member for ISSMGE Technical Committees TC211 on Ground Improvement and chair for ISSMGE Technical Committee TC39 on Geotechnical Engineering for Disaster Mitigation and Rehabilitation from 2005 to 2009. Prof Chu has delivered over 60 keynote or invited lectures at international conferences. He is an editor for a high impact geotechnical journal and associate editor or editorial board member for other 8 international journals. As a consultant, Prof Chu has also involved in several large scale construction projects in Singapore or overseas. He received the R. M. Quigley Award from the Canadian Geotechnical Society in 2004 and the Outstanding Geotechnical Engineer Award from the Geotechnical Society of Singapore in 2018 among other honours.


NOTES:
- Applicable for ONLINE REGISTRATION ONLY, WALK IN ARE NOT ALLOWED
- Limited to 50 participants only (first come basis) and confirmation email will be sent for successful registration latest by 14 October 2022 @ 5.00 PM