USE OF FABRIC REINFORCEMENT FOR REINSTATING UNSTABLE SLOPES

Following the failure of a large section of cutting in London clay on the M4 motorway in Berkshire reinstatement was undertaken using the lime modified original soil reinforced by layers of fabric. Notwithstanding that the failure zone was much more extensive than had been initially realised the reinstatement costs proved considerably less than the estimated cost of the conventional procedure of replacing the unsuitable material with a granular soil. The report presents some aspects of the site geology, gives details of the soil testing and methods of analysis, describes construction technique and discusses cost considerations. (Author/TRRL)