Route Geotechnical Characterization and Analysis

Abstract

A unified, landform‐based probabilistic approach to geotechnical characterization and analysis is outlined for application to ground transportation routes. The approach can explicitly account for uncertainties, geotechnical variability and limitations in available geotechnical data/information. Using Bayesian probability concepts, landform identification and statistical characterization of landform soil property parameters, it can provide site‐specific estimates of soil property parameters and geotechnical behavior variables. The methodology is suited to situations where regional or local landform soil property parameters are or can be statistically well known, but site‐specific data may generally be either unavailable or sparse. Estimates can be based only on landform information or systematically updated and improved with site‐specific data to the extent they are available. Estimates include means, variances, and reliability/probability levels on the estimates, including the probability of any given estimate being above or below a given critical value.