In previous studies, the author highlighted the way in which the construction of a road embankment can modify the stress state of supporting ground, its permeability and hence groundwater level, causing the “underground dam effect”, in particular circumstances. A model has been developed to determine ground stress state and, to analyse it, a finite element method has been used with the support of ANSYS® software. The model has been parameterized for ground slope, embankment size width, half roadway size and slope size width and, finally, for embankment height. The software has provided horizontal and vertical stress distribution. Void index has been determined through the compressibility curve and also the permeability for each element. Subsequently, the groundwater level trend was reconstructed after fixing the flow and forward groundwater depth. Various cases have been examined: changing ground characteristics, embankment height, ground slope and finally changing groundwater depth, and critical situations have been identified. In this study the author shows the way in which the utilization of expanded clay or geofoam applications in highway embankments could solve the “underground dam effect” and hence allow infrastructure insertion in the territory causing minimum hydrologic impact. Indeed, infrastructure design must target durability during useful life, preserving land balance and guaranteeing preservation of the environmental conditions existing before road construction

Lightweight highway embankments to solve the “Underground dam effect"

MALTINTI, FRANCESCA
2005-01-01

Abstract

In previous studies, the author highlighted the way in which the construction of a road embankment can modify the stress state of supporting ground, its permeability and hence groundwater level, causing the “underground dam effect”, in particular circumstances. A model has been developed to determine ground stress state and, to analyse it, a finite element method has been used with the support of ANSYS® software. The model has been parameterized for ground slope, embankment size width, half roadway size and slope size width and, finally, for embankment height. The software has provided horizontal and vertical stress distribution. Void index has been determined through the compressibility curve and also the permeability for each element. Subsequently, the groundwater level trend was reconstructed after fixing the flow and forward groundwater depth. Various cases have been examined: changing ground characteristics, embankment height, ground slope and finally changing groundwater depth, and critical situations have been identified. In this study the author shows the way in which the utilization of expanded clay or geofoam applications in highway embankments could solve the “underground dam effect” and hence allow infrastructure insertion in the territory causing minimum hydrologic impact. Indeed, infrastructure design must target durability during useful life, preserving land balance and guaranteeing preservation of the environmental conditions existing before road construction
2005
9788890240997
road embankment; clay applications; geofoam applications
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11584/23804
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