Evaluation of Stability Analysis Methods of Embankment on Soft Clays

Abstract

Construction on soft clay deposits is assumed to be a significant concern in the geotechnical engineering field. Soft clays are characterized by low bearing capacity, high ductility and low permeability, which lead to certain constraints in embankment design. Therefore, to ensure the safety of structures on soft grounds, it is necessary to define the capacity that the foundation can bear before the construction process. In addition, the behaviour of a structure has to be predicted to avoid failures or other unfavourable circumstances that could take place in the future. A number of prediction methods have been proposed, but the predictions could suffer from a lack of accuracy, resulting in a lack of confidence in practice. In this study, numerical simulation of embankments on soft soils using finite element method (FEM) is performed, along with the evaluation of existing methods for predicting the performance of embankments on soft clays and to propose the most accurate stability analysis approach among reviewed methods.