Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of embankment height and vehicle loads on traffic-load-induced cumulative settlement of soft clay subsoil

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Arabian Journal of Geosciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In order to study the traffic-load-induced cumulative settlement of soft clay subsoil under the low embankment, in situ tests are carried out, and based on the undrained cumulative deformation model and cumulative pore pressure model of Shanghai soft clay proposed by Huang and Li, the cumulative settlement was calculated and analyzed. The calculated cumulative settlement agrees well with the measured result. The cumulative settlement is mainly caused by the undrained cumulative deformation and the pore-pressure-dissipation-induced consolidation deformation, and the former is major. The effects of the embankment height and vehicle loads on traffic-load-induced cumulative settlement are studied. For the embankment less than 1.5 m high, the cumulative settlement of subsoil quickly increases with the decrease of the embankment height. The greater the vehicle loads, the more rapidly the cumulative settlement grows. When the vehicle loads rise by 20 % than the standard, the cumulative settlement increases by 44 %. Therefore, limiting the vehicle overload is critical to control the cumulative settlement. Considering the effects of road embankment height and vehicle loads, the model for predicting cumulative settlement is put forward.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Chai JC, Miura N (2002) Traffic-load-induced permanent deformation of road on soft subsoil. J Geotech Geoenviron 128(11):907–916

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cui XZ, Zhang N, Zhang J, Gao ZJ (2014) In situ tests simulating traffic-load-induced settlement of alluvial silt subsoil. Soil Dyn Earthq Eng 58:10–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fujikawa K, Miura N (1996) Field investigation on the low embankment due to traffic load and its prediction. Soils Found 36(4):147–153

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • He GJ (2005) Laboratory test and research on the settlement of soft foundation under low embankment considering the influence of traffic load. Dissertation. Hehai University

  • Huang YH (1993) Pavement analysis and design. Pearson Education, Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang MS, Li JJ, Li XZ (2006) Cumulative deformation behavior of soft clay in cyclic undrained test. Chinese J Geotech Eng 28(7):891–895

    Google Scholar 

  • Hyodo M, Yasuhara K, Hirao K (1992) Prediction of clay behaviour in undrained and partially drained cyclic tests. Soils Found 32(4):117–127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang J, Chen LZ (2001) One-dimensional settlement due to long-term cyclic loading. Chinese J Geotech Eng 23(3):366–369

    Google Scholar 

  • Li D, Selig ET (1996) Cumulative plastic deformation for fine-grained subgrade soils. J Geotech Eng 122(12):1006–1013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liang RY, Ma FG (1992) Anisotropic plasticity model for undrained cyclic behavior of clay. J Geotech Eng ASCE 118:229–265

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ling JM, Wang W, Wu HB (2002) On residual deformation of saturated clay subgrade under vehicle load. J Tongji University 30(11):1315–1320

    Google Scholar 

  • Lysmer J, Kuhlemeyer RL (1969) Finite dynamic model for infinite media. J Eng Mech 95:859–877

    Google Scholar 

  • Monismith CL, Ogaqa N, Freeme CR (1975) Permanent deformation characteristics of subgrade soils due to repeated loading. Transp Res Rec 537:1–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Mroz Z, Norris VA, Zienkiewicz OC (1979) Application of an anisotropic hardening model in the analysis of elasto-plastic deformation soils. Geotechnique 29(1):1–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sakai A, Samang L, Miura N (2003) Partially-drained cyclic behavior and its application to the settlement of a low embankment road on silty-clay. Soils Found 43(1):33–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang JH, Yao ML (1996) Elastoplastic simulation of the cyclic undrained behaviour of soft clay. Chinese J Geotech Eng 18(3):11–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhong HH, Huang MS, Wu SM (2002) On the deformation of soft clay subjected to cyclic load. Chinese J Geotech Eng 24(5):629–632

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Chinese Natural Science Foundations (Nos. 51279094, 51078222, 51379115, and 51308324), the Natural Science Foundations of Shandong Province, China (No. ZR2011EEM012), and Independent Innovation Foundation of Shandong University (IIFSDU) (No. 2012HW003).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Department of Transportation Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, Shandong University, No. 17922, Jingshi Road, Jinan, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China

    Xinzhuang Cui, Na Zhang, Shucai Li, Jiong Zhang & Lei Wang

Authors
  1. Xinzhuang Cui
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Na Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Shucai Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jiong Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Lei Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xinzhuang Cui.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Cui, X., Zhang, N., Li, S. et al. Effects of embankment height and vehicle loads on traffic-load-induced cumulative settlement of soft clay subsoil. Arab J Geosci 8, 2487–2496 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-014-1402-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-014-1402-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation