CMM Hybrid columns

Soil reinforcement with CMM

Hybrid Columns (Colonnes Module
Mixte) combines vibro replacement
stone columns with rigid inclusions
displacement columns benefits and
avoids their disadvantages.
This product has been developed
in France in collaboration with
Prof. Bustamente from Laboratoire
Central des Ponts et Chausses and
with Mr. Blondeau, Consultant.
The Technical Specifications approved
by Apave control office are listed
below.

Brochure 38-01E

CMM Hybrid columns

CMM Hybrid Columns is a soil reinforcement technique
that combines a rigid inclusion at the bottom and a vibro
replacement column at the top last meter(s). This method,
Tool for the concrete developed by Keller, is the successful development of several
bottom part
years of research and tests.

Concrete

Application

Tool for the vibro

replacement top part

Extension rod
and stone feed
tube (material
storage)

Tool for the concrete bottom part

Flexible coupling

Electrical
motor
Stone feed
tube
Eccentric
weight
Nose cone

Scope of use
With CMM Hybrid Columns the
use of piles and piled foundation
slabs is avoided increasing the soil
bearing capacity and decreasing its
compressibility.
This soil reinforcement can be used
for every construction field (housing,
commercial, industrial buildings, civil
engineering works, road and railway
embankment, harbour platforms).
The technique applies to a wide range
of soils including backfills and highly
organic soils.

CMM Hybrid Columns under

single footings
The reinforcement by CMM Hybrid
Columns increases the bearing capacity
of the soil generally up to 0.2 to 0.3MPa
SLS. No pile cutting is needed, and the
footing or the basement slab is directly
cast on the columns. The strong shear
strength of the gravel top of the CMM
Hybrid Columns is designed for horizontal loads and bending moments. In seismic areas the upper gravel part acts as
plastic hinge, in order to dissociate the
inertial effects from the kinematic effects.
Strip footings or single footings can be
designed conventionally.

Benefits of the technique

CMM Hybrid Columns combine the benefits
of each method and avoid their disadvantages.
For instance, in the case of soil improvement
by rigid inclusions we often have to adapt
the shear strength of the upper part due to
horizontal stresses linked to wind or sometimes
to seismic loads. The footing resting on several
rigid inclusions have to be adapted as well.
For foundation slabs on soils improved by
rigid inclusions, obtaining compatible bending
moments often implies either the use of a
very thick granular distribution layer, or the
implementation of two steel reinforcement
layers in the slab.
All the disadvantages are avoided by installing
a vibro replacement top part of the CMM
Hybrid Columns (usually 1.50m to 2.00m long).
At site, the risk of accidental shear in the top of
the column due to traffic of machines or digging
of trenches is avoided with the CMM Hybrid
Columns. No particular care has to be taken for
soil treatment of the surface layer with binders:
the gravel top is mixed with the surrounding
soil and the binder with no difficulty.

Installation method

1
Penetration
Small diameter drilling
generally performed
with a displacement tool
down to design depth.

2
Rigid lower part
Use of concrete (if
necessary of mortar or
grout) through the central
hollow core of the tool
from the design depth to
the required elevation.

Foundation slab

Flexible gravel part

Overlapping zone

Application

Concrete rigid part

CMM Hybrid Columns under

foundation slabs
By avoiding the hard point effect of the rigid
inclusion thanks the gravel top of the CMM
Hybrid Columns, the foundation slab can be designed as usual according to the French shallow
foundation standard DTU 13.3 Dallages, with
uniformly distributed, punctual, dynamic loads
and with an improved and homogenised stiffness
modulus.

3
Overlapping zone
A bottom feed vibrator,
on which an additional
downward pressure or
activation force is applied,
is penetrated into the fresh
concrete approximately
50cm.

4
Flexible upper part
The vibrator is lightly
moved upwards resulting
in the insertion of gravel
into the soil, then moved
downwards to laterally
expand the gravel into the
soil.
The upper gravel part is
installed in this way, in
successive steps.

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