Strength and Deformation Characteristics of Soft Ground Stabilized by Bamboo Piles and Bamboo Mats

Bamboo piles and bamboo mats method has been used in breakwater foundation construction in Indonesia. In contrast to circular slip, soft clay ground reinforced with bamboo piles and bamboo mats followed the deformation of the soft ground due to the overburden load during construction. In order to rationalize the design, centrifuge model experiments simulating the construction of breakwaters were conducted to investigate the deformation mechanism of soft ground reinforced with bamboo piles and bamboo mats. As a result, it was found that clay ground reinforced with bamboo piles and bamboo mats, which was subjected to settlement and flow of the soft clay soil, was sheared and deformed, leading to passive collapse, making it more tenacious than unimproved ground. Horizontal displacement was also reduced by reinforcing the surface layer of the ground. In addition, lying bamboo mats on clay ground mats suppressed differential settlement and improved the tenacity.