India Vertical Band Drains and Soil Stabilisation Methods
A network of vertical band drains is used to control ground water levels. The draining system uses wicking material, which is supplied in 280-metre rolls. The material is then threaded through a mandrel on a specially-adapted crawler rig. The mandrel then threads the lance and is connected to a slotted anchor plate at the foot of the lance. The lance is then pushed into the silt, which overlies the sandstone aquifer. Vertical band drains are particularly effective for soft clay because they increase the shear strength of the soil. In one study, an embankment raised on 1.5 m spacing and stabilized with vertical band drains showed 90 percent consolidation after 430 days. The embankment was also reinforced with granular piles, which increased the slope stability safety factor by as much as 25 percent. The design of vertical band drains is dependent on a number of parameters. These parameters include the width-to-thickness ratio, the surface area per unit length, and the sp