Geopier® Rammed Aggregate Pier® and GeoConcrete® Column (rigid inclusion) ground improvement systems are often chosen as effective alternatives to excavation and replacement of unsuitable soils or deep foundations such as driven piles, drilled piles, or pressure injected footings (PIFs). Geopier ground improvement systems enhance unsuitable soils to provide an improved subgrade for traditional shallow footing and slab-on-grade support.
In addition to the geotechnical benefits of Rammed Aggregate Pier (RAP) and GeoConcrete Column (GCC) ground improvement, there can also be a significant environmental advantage on sites with contaminated soils, since these systems are most often installed with displacement methods that generate little to no spoil. For example, see our short (1:10 min) video below featuring our most common displacement RAP installation method:
As you can see in the RAP video, our steel displacement mandrel is inserted into the ground with a high-frequency vibratory hammer and downward crowd force. The mandrel laterally displaces the unsuitable soil without the need for pre-augering (and spoil generation), which can be particularly advantageous on sites with contaminated soil. GCC rigid inclusion mandrels are also inserted into the ground using this displacement method.