DESIGN OF HIGH REINFORCED EMBANKMENTS CONSTRUCTED WITH POOR QUALITY SOIL AND DEGRADABLE SHALE

Relocation of US Highway 29 near Lynchburg, Virginia, will require new embankments up to 27.4 m (90 ft) high. The available backfill is a degradable and water-sensitive phyllite, as well as residual soil derived from this shale-like parent rock. Experience has shown that embankments constructed of these materials must have slopes at inclinations of about 2.5H:1V or flatter to exhibit good performance. Geosynthetic reinforcement of the borrow material to enable steeper slopes, up to 1.5H:1V, will result in very considerable savings in required right-of-way and embankment material. However, use of the available borrow materials requires special considerations in selection of suitable reinforcements, design, and construction. This study has shown that geosynthetics can be used to reinforce high embankments constructed of poor quality backfill. Successful completion of this project would help to open a broad market for such structures nationwide.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0935803084
• Corporate Authors:

  Industrial Fabrics Association International

  345 Cedar Building, Suite 450
  St Paul, MN  United States  55101-1088
• Authors:
  • Scarborough, J A
  • Filz, G M
  • Mitchell, J K
  • Brandon, T L
  • Hoppe, E J
  • Hite, S L
• Conference:
  • Geosynthetics '99: Specifying Geosynthetics and Developing Design Details
  • Location: Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
  • Date: 1999-4-28 to 1999-4-30
• Publication Date: 1999

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 491-504

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Backfill soils; Construction; Design; Embankments; Geosynthetics; Mechanically stabilized earth; Right of way (Land); Shale; Slopes
• Uncontrolled Terms: High embankments; Phyllite
• Subject Areas: Construction; Design; Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; I35: Miscellaneous Materials; I42: Soil Mechanics;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00795525
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0935803084
• Report/Paper Numbers: Volume 1
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 21 2000 12:00AM