CSC

Rigid Inclusions

The CSC method for

rigid inclusions is a
method offered by Keller
for soil improvement.

Brochure 35-02E
 CSC Rigid Inclusions
Controlled stiffness column or rigid inclusion is the name for
a soil improvement method offered by Keller. The procedure
is described in the European standard EN 12699.
Example of a tool
displacement auger
Concrete or
mortar
Example of a tool
vibrated tube
Top vibrator
Purpose built rig during production
Metallic tube
Applications
Rigid inclusions increase the bearing
capacity of the soil and reduce its
compressibility. With rigid inclusions
Flap /concrete
the advantages of piles and shallow
or mortar foundations are economically combined.
Example of an exca- This soil improvement method can
vated rigid inclusion be applied in all construction sectors
(houses, industrial and commercial
buildings, embankments for highways
and rail, harbour structures).
This method is most suitable for com
pressible soils. Based on the initial
compressibility of the soil the distance
between the rigid inclusion reinforcement
elements is adapted depending on the
allowable settlement of the structure.
N
1 H 1
2 Load distribution layer 2
Rigid
inclusions
Case no1: A load distribution layer under
the footing with rigid inclusions
Pu
bo
A
Case no2: Principle sketch without
load distribution layer
Rigid inclusions under footings
without or with load distribution
layer (only in seismic zones or
with high horizontal loads).
The soil reinforcement with CSC rigid
inclusions permits the increase of the
bearing capacity of the soil and is suitable
for the design of strip footings, generally
with loads up to 0.25MPa to 0.35MPa in
the case of a thin load distribution layer or
in case of no load distribution layer.
Strip footings can be designed including
arching in between the columns. If the
dimensions of the strip footing are sufficient
the horizontal forces may be taken by
friction underneath the strip footing.
 Advantages and limits of the method Execution
Soil reinforcement with rigid inclusions reduces
settlements very efficiently. The settlements with Concrete
pump
this type of reinforcement can be reduced by a
factor of 8 to 10 under high loads.
However it is necessary to take into account the
hard point effect created by the inclusions on the
superstructure. The strip footing must be designed
like a slab on piles. In case of foundation slabs an 1
additional bending moment has to be taken into The rig is located at
account. the right location and
The additional bending moments depend on the the data recording is
thickness of the load distribution layer and of the started.
compressibility of the soil in place, the grid of the
inclusions and the service point loads (or distributed
loads). This bending moment may be important
for high uniform distributed loads or for racking
combined with a thin load distribution layer.

2
q Penetration of
p p the tool:
p Generally a displace-
Foundation slab Settlement of
ment auger is used to
Application

Load distribution layer

upper structure
penetrate down to
the designed depth.
Settlement of
intermediate layer

Settlement below
the column feet

Schematic sketch with different foundation systems

3
Installation of the rigid
inclusion by pumping
concrete and pulling
Rigid inclusions underneath foundation slabs the tool upwards
simultaneously. The
Underneath foundation slabs a load distribution layer is concrete flows out of
the tube and supports
put in place between the rigid inclusions and the slab.
the borehole wall.
The material between the top of the rigid inclusions and
the foundation slab has to be compacted very carefully.
The rigid inclusions are designed to act as a group.

It is necessary to develop negative skin friction in the 4

upper part of the inclusion just down to the neutral Cutting the rigid
point (see the dashed line in the intermediate soil layer inclusion at a
on the figure above). The applied stress is highest at the certain level with
neutral point. different methods:
The CSC rigid inclusions are designed with the help If the concrete is fresh
of the usual parameters given in EN 1997-1. The design cutting is executed
with mechanical means
of this combined system of soil and group of rigid and if the concrete
inclusions maybe calculated analytically (Priebe method has hardened bigger
for stiff columns) or with a finite element program. machines are used.
E xa m p l e s of exec u ted s i te s

LIEBHERR factory in Colmar (France)

Soil improvement with rigid inclusions underneath the foundations slab

Highly loaded slab with 11t/m2
Residual settlements are small and below 5mm

Apartment house in Corbeil-Essonnes (France)

Soil improvement with rigid inclusions underneath strip footings

Building with 4 storeys and a cellar
Installation level was below the ground in the cellar

Wind farm in Rambures (France)

Keller Holding GmbH

Kaiserleistrae 8
63067 Offenbach
Germany
Tel. +49 69 8051-0
E-mail: Info@KellerHolding.com
Soil improvement with rigid inclusions underneath six massive
www.KellerHolding.com
circular footings
Installation level was below the ground on a working platform
A granular load transfer platform with 0.8m thickness was used
below the footings
0614 35-02E

w w w. Ke l l e rH o l d ing.co m A company of Keller Group plc