Seminar - Mounir Bouassida - Design of columnar-reinforced foundation

Wednesday 4 April, 1.00 pm - 2.00 pm
Civil Engineering Conference Room

Prof. Mounir Bouassida
Geotechnical Engineering Research Team
University Tunis El Manar

Abstract:
The design of foundations on reinforced ground by columns usually involves two verifications, first, the bearing capacity and, second, the settlement that can be completed by the acceleration of consolidation settlement. The basis of suggested methodology consists in estimating, first, a minimum improvement area ratio (IAR) complying with the allowable bearing capacity of reinforced soil; then a maximum IAR is derived from the verification of allowable settlement. The suggested methodology design leads to an optimised IAR complying both with allowable bearing capacity and settlement, as such the overestimation of the quantity of material columns is avoided. Two case histories are analyzed to show up the usefulness of suggested methodology of design, which has been incorporated in recently developed software for the design of reinforced soil by columns.

Biography:
Professor Mounir Bouassida is the leader of Geotechnical Engineering Research Team at the National Engineering School of Tunis where he was graduated BSc in 1980, the MSc, PhD and Doctorate ès-Sciences. His research focuses on ground improvement techniques and behaviour of soft clays. He published 29 papers in international journals and six papers in national journals, 12 Keynote lectures and specialized publications, 80 papers in international conferences and a French book on soil laboratory testing (distributed in 950 copies internationally).

Prof. Bouassida was the immediate VP of ISSMGE for Africa (2005-2009). Presently he is a member of the Technical Oversight committee and Co-Chair of TC 306 “Geo-Engineering Education” of ISSMGE. He is member of editorial committees of International Journal of Geotechnical Engineering & Geotechnical and Geological Engineering journal. From 2011 to 2013 he is appointed as adjunct professor at Sherbrooke university (Quebec, Canada). Presently he is invited professor at Newcastle university (Centre of Excellence in Geomechanics).