Keynote lecture: Design of lime, lime/cement and cement columns

The design of lime, lime/cement and cement columns has been reviewed. The shear strength and the bearing capacity of the columns should be calculated for both undrained and the drained conditions. Single columns and column rows can be used to stabilize embankments, slopes and deep excavations in soft clay and to reduce the settlements of up to two story buildings. Present design methods, where a weighted average shear strength is used, have a tendency to overestimate the bearing capacity when the column load is low. An approximate method is presented and discussed in the report, which takes into account the reduction of the bearing capacity of the columns caused by progressive failure. Lime columns function as vertical drains in the soil.