RES2024-05: Evaluation of Backfill Aggregate Properties

For retaining walls construction, Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) often allows contractors to excavate behind a retaining wall and replace the existing in situ soils with “select backfill” that has a higher friction angle and permeability which reduces the active earth pressure on the wall. There is a need to study the methods of placement of backfill and develop a method of best practice for densifying aggregates. Thus, there is an urgent need to better define the range of expected friction angle values for Tennessee aggregate sources. Using the proper properties of aggregate will result in substantial saving in construction, time and money on future projects across the state without compromising safety.

• Record URL:
  • https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/tdot/long-range-planning/research/one-pagers-res-2024-projects/RES%202024-05.final.pdf

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $222000
• Sponsor Organizations:

  Tennessee Department of Transportation

  James K. Polk Building
  Fifth and Deaderick Street
  Nashville, TN  United States  37243-0349
• Managing Organizations:

  Tennessee Department of Transportation

  James K. Polk Building
  Fifth and Deaderick Street
  Nashville, TN  United States  37243-0349
• Project Managers:

  Ferguson, Jacob

• Performing Organizations:

  University of Tennessee, Knoxville

  Knoxville, TN  United States 
• Principal Investigators:

  Alshibli, Khalid

• Start Date: 20230801
• Expected Completion Date: 20250731
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aggregates; Backfill soils; Friction; Retaining walls
• Geographic Terms: Tennessee
• Subject Areas: Construction; Geotechnology; Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01891033
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Tennessee Department of Transportation
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Aug 25 2023 12:45PM