ABSTRACT Stone columns are widely being used for ground improvement. This paper investigates the performance of soft clay reinforced by stone columns with respect to settlement and bearing capacity. A finite element analysis using the software package PLAXIS 2D is carried out. The following parameters are analyzed: the replacement area ratio, the stone column material, footing width, installation technique, and the thickness of the soft clay layer. In addition, a comparison is carried out between the performance of the unreinforced and reinforced soft clay subjected to the same loading condition. Finally, the results are compared with those available in the literature and the advantages of the numerical analysis are highlighted.