Various researchers have highlighted that geosynthetic-encased stone columns could be used in place of stone columns (SCs) in very soft soil. In this study, field load tests are performed on individual partially geotextile-encased stone columns (pESCs), individual stone columns (SCs), and a field embankment reinforced with pESCs and SCs in silty clay. Although the material cost of pESCs is designed to be comparable to that of SCs, the tests reveal that pESCs display a higher allowable bearing capacity and stress concentration ratio and less residual settlement than SCs. The embankment reinforced by pESCs is found to incur fewer lateral displacements, while there is no improvement in the drainage performance during the construction period compared to the SCs. For the pESCs, 51–66% of the pressure acting on the top of the column propagates to a depth of z = 1.2 m, wheras, for the SCs, it is only 21–55%. Furthermore, to estimate group behaviour, the ultimate bearing capacity of an individual pile composite ground can be extrapolated. However, individual pESCs achieve much higher stress concentration ratios than the pESC group.

许多研究人员强调，土工合成材料包裹的石柱可以用来代替非常松软的土壤中的石柱（SC）。在这项研究中，现场荷载测试是在单独的部分土工织物包裹的石柱（pESC）、单独的石柱（SC）以及粉质粘土中用 pESC 和 SC 加固的现场路堤上进行的。尽管pESCs的材料成本被设计为与SCs相当，但测试表明pESCs表现出比SCs更高的许用承载力和应力集中比以及更少的残余沉降。研究发现，与 SC 相比，pESC 加固的路堤产生的侧向位移较小，但施工期间的排水性能没有改善。对于 pESC，作用在柱顶部的压力的 51–66% 传播到z  = 1.2 m 的深度，而对于 SC，只有 21–55%。此外，为了估计群体行为，可以推断单个桩复合地基的最终承载力。然而，单个 pESC 的应力集中比比 pESC 组高得多。