Vibro Compaction

Vibro Compaction (VC) improves non-cohesive soils rearranging the grain distribution pattern through the application of cyclic vibrations to compact the soil. The equipment used for the vibro compaction is a heavy plunge vibrator called vibroflot, with a cylindrical shape and a diameter between 30 cm to 50 cm. The bottom part of the vibroflot is equipped with jets where water or air is pumped in order to enhance the soil compaction. The vibroflot with a leading pipe penetrates the ground under its own weight with simultaneous action of vibration. The compaction occur as the vibroflot is surged up and down. The compacted column has a diameter between 1.5 m to 3.5 m depending on the grid of compaction points and type of soil. Vibro compaction is best suited for non-cohesive soils such as loose sands, gravels and sandy gravels. Soils containing over 10% of silt and clay fraction are not suitable for this method. VC is well suited for the foundation of facilities with uniformly distributed pressure onto the subsoil. It significantly reduces the settlement and leads to the unification of the foundation conditions (i.e., minimise the differential settlement).