Critical Height of Column-Supported Embankments from Bench-Scale and Field-Scale Tests
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Authors
McGuire, Michael P.
Sloan, Joel
Collin, James G.
Filz, George M.
Issue Date
2012-01
Type
Other
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
Bench-scale and field-scale tests of column-supported embankments were performed to determine the critical height above which the embankment surface does not exhibit differential settlement due to the deformations that occur at the base of the embankment. The bench-scale tests show that the critical height increases as the clear spacing between columns increases for a fixed column diameter, which was an expected result; however, an unexpected result was that the critical height decreases as the column diameter decreases for a fixed center-to-center spacing of the columns. One hypothesis for this outcome is that increased compliance at the top of smaller diameter columns increases the settlement of the ground surface directly above the column, thereby decreasing the difference between the ground surface settlement at the column location and the ground surface settlement at the location farthest from columns within a unit cell, with an accompanying decrease in the critical height. One column configuration was investigated in the field-scale tests, and the critical height was consistent with the results from the bench-scale tests. This paper summarizes the test programs and the key findings.
Description
Citation
McGuire, Michael & Sloan, Joel & Collin, James & Filz, George. (2012). Critical Height of Column-Supported Embankments from Bench-Scale and Field-Scale Tests.