Granular piles are preferred as one of the simple, cost-effective solution for problematic deposits like soft clays when compared to pile foundations (OGP). When the undrained shear strength of the soil is poor, a support is provided in the form of encapsulation with geosynthetics (EGP). A portion of aggregates in the granular column is replaced with waste tyre chips called as composite granular piles (CGP). The tyre chips of marginal and good qualities were used as replacements for granular aggregates. In this study, the response of an embankment supported by all the three types of granular piles is numerically investigated and compared using a FE software. The comparisons are discussed on the consolidation settlements, excess pore water pressure dissipation, vertical stresses shared by the granular piles and soft clay and the radial expansion (bulging) of the granular pile. Limited parametric studies are also conducted by varying the friction angle of the aggregates and tensile modulus of the geosynthetics, and the effect of the same on settlements is discussed. It was found that the settlement of composite granular piles with good-quality waste tyre chips perform on par with EGPs. However, based on the present study, it was not found worthwhile to use the CGPs without geosynthetic encasement especially for very soft soils.