Seismic Resilience Assessment of Geogrid-Encased Stone Column Composite Foundations

Authors

  • Xiaocong Cai "College of Civil Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China", "Key Laboratory of Building Safety and Energy Efficiency of the Ministry of Education, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China" & "National Center for International Research Collaboration in Building Safety and Environment, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China" Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.65904/3083-3590.2026.02.03

Keywords:

Geogrid-Encased Stone Column, Seismic Resilience, Fragility Curve, Ultimate Seismic Bearing Capacity, Machine Learning

Abstract

The post-earthquake functionality and rapid recovery of infrastructure built on soft soil depend critically on the resilience of geogrid-encased stone columns (GESCs) composite foundation systems. A coupled analytical and machine-learning framework is established to evaluate the seismic resilience of GESC composite foundations, aiming to identify key design parameters that govern earthquake recovery. The resulting damage states are translated into time-dependent functionality curves using a performance-based analytical approach. A comprehensive parametric study investigates the influence of different recovery functions, geogrid encasement strength, column diameter, spacing, area replacement ratio, layout configuration, and the internal friction angle of the column infill material on the functionality (Q) and resilience index (R). Results indicate that the Q is completely lost when kh exceeds 0.75. When kh exceeds 0.55, the system enters the low-resilience zone. The introduction of geogrid encasement significantly enhances both Q and R of OSC. Even at a high seismic intensity (kh = 0.95), a GESC with 400 kN/m encasement strength retains a moderate resilience level. Resilience is maximized by a specific configuration: using high-friction materials to construct small-diameter columns with high encasement strength, arranged in a tight triangular pattern.

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Published

2026-06-09

Issue

Vol. 2 (2026)

Section

Articles