<p>Improving soft soil foundations is a critical aspect of geotechnical engineering, particularly for infrastructure like highways, railways, and embankments. Among various ground improvement methods, stone columns are widely adopted due to their ability to enhance shear strength, bearing capacity, and drainage. Soft soils often pose challenges such as high compressibility, low strength, and excess pore pressure (EPP), which can compromise stability. This study presents a numerical investigation into the performance of reinforced embankments over soft soil using stone columns, focusing on soil-structure interaction under static loading conditions. A coupled finite element model, developed in FORTRAN 90, is employed to simulate the behavior of stone column-reinforced foundations. The study emphasizes methodological transparency by implementing and verifying an in-house computational framework. Three scenarios are analyzed: untreated soil, soil reinforced with stone columns in a free-field condition, and reinforced soil under a surface foundation surcharge of 0.5 kN/m². The model evaluates key parameters such as EPP dissipation, settlement behavior, and soil stiffening effects. A critical state constitutive model based on Cam-Clay theory is incorporated to capture time-dependent deformation and consolidation behavior. Results indicate that stone columns significantly reduce vertical settlement, accelerate pore pressure dissipation, and enhance overall embankment stability. The optimal stone column length is found to be 6&#xa0;m, beyond which performance gains are marginal. Increasing the modulus of elasticity and area replacement ratio further improves system response. The validated model demonstrates strong agreement with Terzaghi’s consolidation theory, confirming its reliability. This study underscores the efficiency of stone columns in improving soft foundations and provides a framework for optimizing reinforcement design in geotechnical applications.</p>