EFFECTS OF LARGE DIFFERENTIAL SETTLEMENTS ON EMBANKMENTS ON SOFT SOILS

This paper presents the performances of four geosynthetic reinforcement abutments built on soft foundations. The embankments are part of highway developments in the north-east and south regions of Brazil. The first embankment is a geogrid reinforced bridge abutment constructed as part of the BR-101 highway-widening programme. In this case the new embankment was built was built with part of its width resting on the existing embankment. The other three reinforced embankments were built in the Linha Verde highway to allow the crossing of rivers in the region. One of these embankments was built on a concrete slab and on piles with caps, another on a group of piles with caps and the last one directly on a top sand layer overlying a compressible clay layer. The designers of these works heavily reinforced the abutment, but little concern was put on the effects of differential settlements caused by foundation consolidation and erosion. This paper shows that, in spite of the large deformations imposed to the structures, the overall performances of the embankments were satisfactory mainly because of the flexible nature of the geosynthetic reinforced mass. For the covering abstract see ITRD E109917.