Different soil treatment methods may be used for new construction to minimize damage due to strong earthquakes. Little formal research exists to assist in the analysis of the proper soil improvement technique to use, though many advances have occurred through innovative construction techniques developed by specialty contractors. This project involves a collaboration between Professor Maher of Rutgers University and Mr. Joseph Welsh of Hayward Baker Inc., an internationally-recognized specialty contractor in soil improvement and foundation remediation. The objective of this collaboration is to study the behavior of treated soils subjected to high strain cyclic loads such as those experienced during earthquakes. Dynamic properties, that is, shear moduli and damping characteristics, of both admixture and grout-treated soils are being investigated to assess: a) the potential of soil treatment as a viable option in the mitigation of earthquake hazards, and b) the response of existing treated soil-structure systems to earthquake loads.
