Strength of Soft Soil Improved by Horizontal and Vertical Woven Geotextile

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24086/cuesj.v10n1y2026.pp56-62

Keywords:

Soft soil, Woven geotextile, Settlement, strength, Encasement

Abstract

With increasing coastal development, construction on weak and soft soils has become more prevalent. Stone columns are a common technique for improving ground; their effectiveness in very soft clay is often limited because of the insufficient lateral support. To overcome this limitation, geotextile reinforcement is frequently employed to enhance the strength and stability of stone columns. This study investigates the effects of various geotextile reinforcement layouts, including vertical encasement, horizontal layering, and a combination of both, on the stone columns’ effectiveness in soft soil beds. Small-scale laboratory experiments were conducted in a model tank, with all stone columns designed to maintain a ratio of 4 for length-to-diameter to prevent bulging failure. The results indicated that woven geotextile significantly increases load-bearing capacity and reduces settlement. Among the tested configurations, the combined vertical and horizontal reinforcement yielded the best performance, whereas partial vertical encasement combined with moderately spaced horizontal layers provided an effective balance between performance and material efficiency. These findings offer valuable guidance for the cost-effective design of ground improvement solutions in soft soils.

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Author Biographies

Nazik F. Muhamad, Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Salahaddin University-Erbil, Erbil, Kurdistan region, Iraq.

Nazik Falah obtained a B.Sc. in civil engineering from Salahaddin University-Erbil in 2022. Currently, he is pursuing a master's degree in civil engineering with a specialization in geotechnical engineering at Salahaddin University-Erbil.

Yousif I. Mawlood, Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Salahaddin University-Erbil, Erbil, Kurdistan region, Iraq.

Yousif Ismail Mawlood is a lecturer at the Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Salahaddin University-Erbil. His expertise spans geotechnical design, structural analysis, site investigations, and engineering software instruction, including ETABS, SAFE, Geo-structure, Foundation Pro, and AutoCAD.

References

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Published

2026-04-01

How to Cite

1.
Muhamad NF, Mawlood YI. Strength of Soft Soil Improved by Horizontal and Vertical Woven Geotextile. Cihan U Erbil SCI J [Internet]. 2026 Apr. 1 [cited 2026 Jun. 23];10(1):56-62. Available from: https://journals.cihanuniversity.edu.iq/index.php/cuesj/article/view/1502

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 1 (2026)

Section

Research Article

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Copyright (c) 2026 Nazik F. Muhamad, Yousif I. Mawlood

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