Bearing Capacity of Nonhomogeneous Clay Layers under Embankments
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical Engineering
Volume 119, Issue 10
Abstract
The slip‐line method is used to calculate limit loads on layers of weak soil. A horizontal load component of arbitrary intensity is accounted for. The soil is considered cohesive, with the undrained shear strength increasing with depth. The slip‐line solutions presented are proved to be lower bounds to the true limit loads. The upper‐bound results are also presented, though the details of the solution are omitted. Limit loads are presented in the form of graphs. The total load on the foundation soil from embankments is vertical and equal to the weight of the embankment fill. The outward‐acting symmetrical tangential load under unrein‐forced embankments is caused, however, by the horizontal thrust in the embankment fill. A simple method for calculating this horizontal load is suggested, and a proposal for arriving at failure heights of both unreinforced and reinforced embankments is given. A failure height calculation for a case history is presented. Also, a generic example of critcal height prediction for a reinforced and an unreinforced embankment is shown.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical Engineering
Volume 119 • Issue 10 • October 1993
Pages: 1657 - 1669
Copyright
Copyright © 1993 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 10, 1992
Published online: Oct 1, 1993
Published in print: Oct 1993
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