Improvement of ballast embankment resting on soft clay by reed and asphalt layers

Abstract EN

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 300 mm crest width and 75mm high.

The embankment was constructed on a bed of saturated soft clay 500mm thick with untrained shear strength 16 kPa.

The ballast embankment was gradually loaded up to failure by a model footing 200 mm wide and 400 mm 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.