Improvement of Ballast Embankment Resting on Soft Clay by Reed and Asphalt Layers

Abstract

The present paper investigates the possibility of using reed and /or asphalt as stabilizing materials for ballast model embankment overlaying a bed of soft soil. Four model tests were performed consisting of a model embankment 500mm base width 300mm crest width and 75mm high. The embankment was constructed on a bed of saturated soft clay 500mm thick with undrained shear strength 16 kPa. The ballast embankment was gradually loaded up to failure by a model footing 200mm wide and 400mm long placed on the crest with continuous monitoring of the generated settlement. The use reed and/or asphalt along the interface surface between the ballast embankment and the soft soil demonstrated significant improvements in both load carrying capacity and reduction in settlement.

Keywords

• reed
• ballast embankment
• soft clay
• improvement