STABILITY OF EMBANKMENTS ON SOFT FOUNDATIONS

This thesis considers the stability of earthworks constructed on soft alluvial deposits of recent origin. Current methods of assessing stability are reviewed, and the limitations and range of application of both the total and effective stress approaches to the problem are discussed. The procedure for determining the porewater pressures in the subsoil beneath embankments is outlined, and the factors which can influence the accuracy of porewater pressure predictions are considered. Comparisons are given between field measurements of porewater pressures at a number of sites, and predictions based on relations between porewater pressure and stress change for soil, together with published solutions for stresses beneath loaded areas. These indicate sufficiently good agreement between the measured values and the changes in major principal stress, for this simplified relation to be used in practice for predicting porewater pressures beneath embankments. Techniques for controlling the stability during earthwork construction are described and details are given of the procedures which have been developed by the author and adopted at a number of sites in the United Kingdom and abroad. Measures which can be used to improve stability or correct instability of embankments are reviewed. (A) /TRRL/

• Corporate Authors:

  Birmingham University, England

  Faculty of Science
  Birmingham B15 2TT, Warwickshire,   England 
• Authors:
  • SYMONS, I F
• Publication Date: 1974-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Compressibility; Construction; Earthwork; Embankments; Field tests; Foundations; Pore water pressures; Slope stability; Soft soils; Stability (Mechanics); Stresses; Subsoil; Theses
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• Old TRIS Terms: Embankment stability
• ITRD Terms: 5905: Compressibility; 3655: Construction; 3653: Earthworks; 2801: Embankment; 3377: Foundation; 6226: In situ; 5762: Pore water pressure; 5783: Slope stability; 5930: Stability; 5575: Stress (in material); 2930: Subsoil; 8597: Thesis; 8119: United Kingdom
• Subject Areas: Construction; Geotechnology; Highways; I51: Earthworks and Soil Drainage;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00142134
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Report/Paper Numbers: Monograph
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 19 1977 12:00AM