GEOTECHNICAL AND PROBABILISTIC EVALUATION OF THE EFFICIENCY OF A MODEL FOR STRENGTHENING THE BASE OF A RAFT FOUNDATION USING RIGID REINFORCEMENT ELEMENTS

Abstract

Construction in densely built urban areas, especially on artificial fill and highly compressible soils, requires effective methods for improving foundation performance. One of the most promising solutions is soil reinforcement using rigid inclusions; however, unified design and construction approaches remain insufficiently developed. This study proposes a model for reinforcing raft foundation bases with vertical rigid displacement elements by integrating geotechnical, structural, and probabilistic methods. The proposed model allows prediction and control of foundation settlement through the equivalent deformation modulus of the reinforced soil and the stiffness of the improved base, determined by the spacing and number of reinforcing elements. The reliability of the system was assessed using Monte Carlo, FORM, and SORM methods, which enabled determination of the reliability index and the most probable failure point. The results demonstrate that the proposed reinforcement technology can reduce foundation settlement, improve reliability, lower construction costs, and shorten construction time compared with conventional soil improvement techniques. The developed approach may serve as a basis for the design and reliability assessment of reinforced foundation systems in civil engineering.