Performance Of A Pile-supported Highway Embankment Over Soft Ground Reinforced With Geosynthetics

In this paper, a case history of a geosynthetic reinforced pile-supported embankment over soft clay is numerically simulated using a fully coupled finite element analysis. Field monitored data for pressures transferred from the embankment to the piles and soft foundation soil, excess pore pressures, settlements of piles and soil, and lateral deformations are compared with results from the finite element analysis. Results show that a significant amount of embankment load is carried by the piles and hence the excess pore pressures generated in the foundation soil are remarkably low. Although lateral effects are not usually incorporated in design methods used in current practice, results show that they are significant closer to the toe of the embankment.