What Are Rigid Inclusions?
Rigid inclusions are ground improvement elements designed to reinforce weak soils and enhance load-bearing capacity for structures. These high-stiffness columns, typically made of concrete or grouted aggregate, transfer structural loads from buildings, bridges, and other infrastructure through compressible soils into stronger, more stable layers below.
By mitigating settlement and increasing bearing capacity, rigid inclusions serve as a critical solution in modern construction. They allow for cost-effective and efficient foundation systems when traditional deep foundations, such as piles, may be overly robust or uneconomical.
Rigid Inclusion Systems
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What does the Rigid Inclusion selection and design process look like?
1. Site evaluation and soil analysis
- Engineers conduct geotechnical investigations to assess subsurface conditions and determine soil strength, settlement potential, and groundwater levels.
2. Selection of the optimal foundation system
- Depending on site-specific needs, engineers choose from a variety of foundation options, often choosing rigid inclusion systems. It’s important that the engineer matches the rigid inclusion system being considered to the appropriate soil types and maximum allowable bearing capacity required to support the project loads.
3. Installation process
- Rigid inclusions are installed by either drilling through or displacing the existing weak soils. Drilling or driving: A hole is created using displacement or auger drilling techniques.
- Filling: The hole is filled with unreinforced concrete, cement-treated aggregate, or grouted stone. The cementitious nature of the material prevents bulging of the element into weak soils. This is particularly important for very soft clay and organic soil profiles.
- Compaction: In Geopier systems, the material is compacted to maximize stiffness and ensure proper load transfer. Geopier’s patented installation technology creates a compacted column of cemented aggregated and/or an expanded bulb at the bottom of the column to maximize the element’s capacity
What Are Rigid Inclusions used for?
Rigid Inclusions are ideal for settlement control of structures underlain by thick deposits of compressible soils (organics, soft clays, and loose sands) or even heavy structures on moderate soils in which the heavy loads would induce excess settlements. They are often significantly more cost-effective than deep foundations.
- Settlement Control: Prevents excessive movement in structures built on weak or compressible soils.
- Heavy Load Support: Ideal for commercial, industrial, residential, and transportation infrastructure requiring high load-bearing capacity.
- Differential Settlement Mitigation: For new structures constructed near existing buildings, utilities, or sensitive equipment, rigid inclusions can minimize differential settlement.
How does Geopier compare to the competition?
There are many choices when it comes to aggregate piers, but not all aggregate piers are created equal. Geopier, with its proprietary Rammed Aggregate Pier® solutions, is the gold standard in aggregate pier technology, engineering, and customer focus.
Piles and Caissons
- Installation - Steel or reinforced concrete members, driven or drilled
- Connection to Structure - Connected with to superstructure via pile caps and grade and tie beams
- Efficiency - May take several days to install a single element, especially if drilled
- Application - Bypasses weak soils and requires structural connections
Geopier® Rigid Inclusions
- Installation - Drilled or driven mandrel, cavity filled with concrete or grouted aggregate upon extraction
- Connection to structure - Not connected to the superstructure
- Efficiency - Can install many elements and tens of thousands of kips of capacity per day
- Application - Improves weak soils to allow shallow foundation support of structures
Aggregate Piers
- Material - Crushed stone
- Load Transfer - Strengthens and stiffens soil matrix below footing
- Application - Used where improved soil matrix can provide adequate stiffness and strength
- Cost & Efficiency - Faster and cost-effective where soil conditions allow
Geopier® Rigid Inclusions
- Material - Concrete or grouted aggregate
- Load Transfer - Transfers load to deeper competent soils
- Application - Used where weak or compressible soils are underlain by competent soils
- Cost & Efficiency - Cost-effective for soft and thick weak soil deposits
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Other Rigid Inclusions
Most competitors offer only one type rigid inclusion, limiting their ability to deliver an optimal solution.
- Typically require a robust load transfer
- Typically lower axial capacity
- Typically only able to resist axial loads
Geopier® Rigid Inclusions
Geopier has several rigid inclusion solutions that are custom designed to meet your project const and schedule needs.
- Only require a 6- to 12-inch-thick granular pad
- Wide range of axial capacity available
- Ability to resist axial, uplift, and lateral loads with various technologies
Deep Foundations
Deep foundations provide excellent settlement control, but at significant cost and schedule impact.
- Expensive pile caps and structural slab design/construction
- Pile cap size driven by number of elements
- Slower installation and delays for foundation construction
Geopier® Rigid Inclusions
Geopier rigid inclusion's match deep foundation capacities and settlement performance, but with simpler design and less cost.
- Shallow spread footings and slabs-on-grade design/construction
- Footings designed for bearing pressures of 5 to 10+ksf
- Rapid installation and foundation construction
Advantages of Choosing Geopier’s Rigid Inclusions
Performance
- Enhanced bearing capacity: Other rigid inclusion systems typically support 5,000 –10,000 psf, Geopier rigid inclusions can support to 12,000 – 13,000 psf.
- Settlement control: Reduces both total and differential settlement.
- Design flexibility: Compatible with shallow foundations including spread footings and slabs-on-grade.
- Construction efficiency: Typically requires only 6- to 12-inch granular pad, reducing costs compared to robust load transfer systems.
Cost, Time & Carbon Efficiency
- Rigid inclusions with shallow foundations require less material, and are quicker and easier to construct than deep foundations that require pile caps and structural slabs.
- Faster installation and foundation construction minimizing project delays.
- Less concrete and steel material reduces the project’s overall carbon footprint.
Experience & Expertise
- Thousands of successful projects worldwide.
- Decades of research, innovation, and engineering advancements in ground improvement.
Custom Solutions
- Tailored designs to meet specific project requirements, optimizing cost and construction schedules.