Influence of vertical vibration on the bearing capacity of foundation resting on salt-encrusted flat soil improved by cement

The effect of vertical vibrational loads on the bearing capacity of a foundation resting on salt-encrusted flat soil improved by cement addition was experimentally examined by conducting a physical model. The vibration foundation model resting on the finite dimensions of cemented sabkha was first subjected to incremental vertical monotonic loads to evaluate the bearing capacity for different subsoil conditions; the bearing capacity was calculated from the load–settlement curves. The cemented sabkha overlies the saturated sabkha soil. The influence of the vertical vibrational load for each increment in the vertical monotonic load on the settlement was studied, and a modified load–settlement curve was introduced. For a foundation with no large deformation or liquefaction due to vibrational loads, the vibrational loads insignificantly influence the bearing capacity of the foundation. With increasing frequency, the initial stiffness decreases, resulting in an increase in the settlement. The influence of the cement content and thickness of cemented sabkha on decreasing the foundation’s settlement decrease with increasing monotonic loads and operating frequency.