THE REMOULDED UNDRAINED SHEAR STRENGTH OF COHESIVE SOILS AND ITS INFLUENCE ON THE STABILITY OF EMBANKMENT FILL

This paper investigates some aspects of the use of cohesive materials as embankment fill. The restrictions imposed on the acceptable strength of fill by trafficability requirements of the plant employed during construction are examined. Field observations show that the depth of rut caused by trafficking plant can be related to the remoulded undrained shear strength of the soil. Equivalent strengths can therefore be obtained for the observed practical limits of plant operation. Tyre pressures and vehicle size are found to influence these limits. From a study of the remoulded undrained shear strength behaviour of cohesive soils it is shown that there is a general relationship with moisture content for different soils. The principal influence on this behaviour is found to be that of liquid limit whilst the plastic limit is shown to be an inaccurate guide. A relationship is found to exist, at any remoulded undrained shear strength, between the liquid limit and the moisture content required to produce this strength. Universal limits in terms of a multiplicand of plastic limit are found to be inappropriate. A direct undrained shear strength criterion is advocated as it relates to the functional limitations of plant and the immediate stability of embankments. It is thus easily adaptable to the conditions of usage, and has the benefit of being directly related to liquid limit which can therefore be used as an indirect control parameter. (a) (TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0727700693
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Clay Fills. Proceedings of the Conference held at the Institution of Civil Engineers, 14-15 November 1978.
• Corporate Authors:

  Institution of Civil Engineers

  One Great George Street, Westminster
  London,   United Kingdom  SW1P 3AA
• Authors:
  • Dennehy, J P
• Conference:
  • Institution of Civil Engineers, Proceedings
• Publication Date: 1979

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 87-94

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Clay; Cohesive soils; Conferences; Depth; Embankments; Fills; Liquid limits; Moisture content; Plastic limit; Ruts (Pavements); Rutting; Saturated soils; Shear strength; Stability (Mechanics); Strength of materials; Tracking systems; Undrained shear strength
• Uncontrolled Terms: Rut; Tracking; Undrained soils
• Old TRIS Terms: Embankment stability; Tracking (Wheel)
• ITRD Terms: 4177: Clay; 8525: Conference; 2801: Embankment; 5918: Liquid limit; 5920: Moisture content; 3081: Rutting (wheel); 5531: Shear; 5544: Strength (mater); 5782: Undrained soil
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; I51: Earthworks and Soil Drainage;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00311801
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• ISBN: 0-7277-0069-3
• Report/Paper Numbers: Proceeding
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 22 1980 12:00AM