<p>T‑shaped soil‑cement columns, consisting of an enlarged and a body section, are employed to reduce settlement and lateral displacement in embankments. Despite their practical application, comprehensive parametric studies comparing their load‑displacement behavior to that of cylindrical columns remain limited. To address this gap, first, a finite element model was validated against a full‑scale load test. A parametric database was then generated, in which soil type (cohesive and cohesionless), soil relative compaction, column geometry, and column unconfined compressive strength (UCS) were varied. From the resulting load‑displacement curves, three parameters were extracted: initial stiffness, the load at a displacement equal to 10% of the column diameter, and energy absorption. To establish a baseline, the influence of each parameter on the behavior of cylindrical columns was first quantified. Subsequently, the effect of transitioning from a cylindrical to a T‑shaped geometry was evaluated to assess the interactive effects of geometric configuration, UCS, and soil properties on the load‑displacement behavior. Finally, a material efficiency ratio was introduced to identify the most efficient cross‑section for each combination of soil type, soil properties, column length, and UCS. The results provide guidance for selecting T‑shaped column geometries that maximize energy absorption while minimizing the increase in column volume.</p>