CASE STUDIES OF STONE COLUMNS IMPROVEMENT IN SEISMIC AREAS
Soil improvement with stone columns is often implemented in seismic areas in particular as a countermeasure against liquefaction. The efficiency of stone columns can be explained by the compaction effect during their execution, by the reduction of the seismic stress on the soil, and by their draining effect as well. A historical evolution of the first realisations is presented, followed by an inventory of the observed performance of such systems in seismic conditions. Then, recent applications of stone columns combined with pile foundations are presented. Key-Words: seismic area, stone columns, liquefaction, case study, pile foundation.
Liquefaction of Cohesive Soils
Liquefaction of sand, clean or with some fines content, has been extensively studied over the last three decades and is currently a phenomenon reasonably predictable. The study of cohesive soils behavior during and immediately after cyclic loading is especially difficult because of their structure variability and the major influence of structural characteristics on dynamic properties, which makes testing of reconstituted samples of little interest in evaluation of natural deposits. There are several categories of cohesive soils potentially liquefiable, which are considered in this paper: clayey silts or silty clays of low plasticity meeting the Chinese Criteria; highly sensitive clays; collapsible loess. Data from literature for better understanding of their susceptibility to liquefaction (triggering, post-cyclic strength) are summarized.
Reconceptualizing Vagrancy and Reconstructing the Vagrant: A Socio-Legal Analysis of Criminal Law Reform in Canada, 1953-1972
This article explores significant reforms to the vagrancy section of the Criminal Code during the mid-to-late twentieth century. By locating the reforms within their unique social, political, and economic climates, I examine how they reconceptualized the offence of vagrancy and concomitantly reconstructed the vagrant as a social problem. The reforms played a seminal role in reducing the number of vagrancy offences, eventually leading to the demise of vagrancy in the criminal law. Yet, while the "vagrant" ceased to exist in the law, the law still continues to preserve vestiges of the vagrant in a highly gendered manner.