Bridge Approach Roadway Embankment Improvements

Bridge approach settlements, or bridge bumps, are a persistent challenge to Department of Transportations (DOTs), including Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), affecting ride quality, safety, and maintenance costs. These bumps result from differential settlement between the embankment and abutment, driven by soil settlement, erosion, inadequate drainage, poor compaction, freeze-thaw cycles, and traffic loads. MnDOT currently uses sandy backfills, and the cost of repairing settlements at the approaches are considerable. MnDOT is therefore exploring new ways of designing approach slabs. Possible mitigation methods include the use of Elasticized Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam as lightweight fill, Geosynthetic Stabilized Bridge Approaches (GSBA) developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), and cemented fills in embankments. The relative performance of these methods is unclear, and their suitability for Minnesota’s geotechnical and climatic conditions remains uncertain. This research project will provide a comprehensive evaluation of these solutions for Minnesota bridges with the goal of reducing bridge approach bumps.

• Record URL:
  • https://researchprojects.dot.state.mn.us/projectpages/details?id=31974&type=CONTRACT

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $258,467.00
• Contract Numbers:

  1058105 WO#1

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Local Road Research Board

  395 John Ireland Boulevard
  St. Paul, Minnesota  United States  55155-1899

  Minnesota Department of Transportation

  395 John Ireland Boulevard
  St Paul, MN  United States  55155
• Managing Organizations:

  MnDOT Research & Innovation

  Minnesota Department of Transportation
  395 John Ireland Blvd
  St. Paul, Minnesota  United States  55155
• Performing Organizations:

  Texas A&M Transportation Institute

  Texas A&M University System
  3135 TAMU
  College Station, TX  United States  77843-3135
• Principal Investigators:

  Puppala, Anand

• Start Date: 20260722
• Expected Completion Date: 20280630
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge approaches; Embankments; Fills; Ground settlement
• Geographic Terms: Minnesota
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Geotechnology; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01999562
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Minnesota Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: 1058105 WO#1
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Aug 18 2026 5:15PM