Experimental and Numerical Evaluation Performance of Strip Foundation Reinforced with Steel Slag Columns Compared to Skirted Foundation

Researchers are increasingly focused on assessing various approaches to improve sandy soil conditions for shallow foundation construction. The common ground improvement methods often include adding skirts around the edges of shallow foundations and placing columns under the foundation. In 2021, world iron slag production was estimated to be 400 million tons; the application of steel slag helped to conserve non-renewable resources, reduce environmental pollution, and create a green economy. The vertical bearing capacity of the strip foundation was compared with the addition of skirts and improved with slag columns located on the sand using physical and numerical modeling. The results of the data analysis revealed that using slag columns, with or without geotextile reinforcement, significantly increased the bearing capacity of the strip foundation. The bearing capacity was found to be increased by 4 times when using slag columns with reinforcing geotextile, and by 2.5 times when using slag columns without reinforcement. Additionally, replacing the strip foundation with a skirt foundation resulted in a roughly 3.75-fold increase in the bearing capacity.