Settlement Criteria and Design Approach for Embankments and Retaining Walls Built on Compressible Soils

Soil improvement is essential for construction of embankments and retaining walls over highly compressible soils. However, due to diversity of soil improvement technologies, selection of suitable technology is an important and demanding task. Especially, if more than one soil improvement method needs to be used jointly to meet settlement, cost, and time requirements. To facilitate the selection process, this project will: (1) collect and compile performance data of constructed embankments and retaining walls to establish settlement criteria based on their functionality and relative locations to a bridge, (2) analyze most commonly-used soil improvement methods in Texas to generate cost vs. construction time charts that can be used for preliminary screening, (3) develop a calculator that can calculate cost and time based on the determined settlement criteria for various soil improvement methods as well as their combinations so cost and benefit can be assessed, and (4) identify optimal combination of preloading with other methods under different Texas soil conditions. The focus of this project will be preloading with/without wick drain, pile/columns supported embankment and lightweight fills. This project will provide not only charts and tables that are ready to use in design but also design tools to analyze complicated situations.

Language

  • English

Project

  • Status: Completed
  • Funding: $218455
  • Contract Numbers:

    0-7161

  • Sponsor Organizations:

    Texas Department of Transportation

    125 E. 11th Street
    Austin, TX  United States  78701-2483
  • Managing Organizations:

    Texas Department of Transportation

    125 E. 11th Street
    Austin, TX  United States  78701-2483
  • Project Managers:

    Kasberg, Katelyn

  • Performing Organizations:

    University of Texas at San Antonio

    One UTSA Circle
    San Antonio, TX  United States  78249

    Tarleton State University

    1333 W. Washington
    Stephenville, TX  United States  76402
  • Principal Investigators:

    Huang, Jie

  • Start Date: 20220912
  • Expected Completion Date: 20240831
  • Actual Completion Date: 20240831

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01863354
  • Record Type: Research project
  • Source Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
  • Contract Numbers: 0-7161
  • Files: RIP, STATEDOT
  • Created Date: Nov 3 2022 5:29PM