The ETH geotechnical drum centrifuge was used to model various ground improvement techniques on double porosity clay. Embankments, sand compaction piles, and dynamic compaction were applied to similar soil models in a series of tests. Ground improvement was carried out in-flight. The pore pressure response to different ground improvement regimes was used to compare effectiveness and suggest likely mechanisms. An optimal ground improvement technique for double porosity soil is concluded to be the use of Sand Compaction Piles (SCPs) since they decrease the intergranular porosity locally, but maintain a relatively high permeability to facilitate the further consolidation of areas of the clay where the double porosity structure is still problematic. Questions about the validity of centrifuge modelling these ground improvement methods are also discussed. © 2014 Taylor & Francis Group.