Method for strengthening and improving clay soils

A method of strengthening and improving the load-bearing capacity of soft clay-containing subterranean soil and substantially reducing the waste volume by reducing the amount of water required to achieve a set consistency of the clay soil and the total quantity of cement required to achieve a specific strength comprising:

• advancing a soil processing tool into soft clay-containing subterranean soil to break said soil into discrete particles;
• while advancing said soil processing tool into said soil, introducing an aqueous composition consisting essentially of water and a clay dispersant in an amount sufficient to disperse said discrete particles and make absorbed water from said clay available for hydration of subsequently added cement;
• when the soil processing tool has reached its set depth, withdrawing same and simultaneously adding during said withdrawal an aqueous cementitious composition comprising water and a cement in a water-to-cement weight ratio of 0.4 to 1:1 and in an amount that together with the water released from said clay and said aqueous dispersant containing composition, provides a cementitious composition having a weight ratio of water to cement of about 2 to 6:1;
• and
• allowing said mixture to harden.