Performance of Geosynthetic-Reinforced and Pile-Supported Embankment with Consideration of Soil Arching

Abstract

The phenomena of soil arching is frequently encountered in geosyntheic-reinforced and pile-supported embankments (GRPSE). This study emphasizes a complicated issue of interactions integrating the embankment soil and geosynthetic-reinforced granular layer (GRL), as well as foundation soil reinforced with piles, on the performance of the GRPSE system. In this modeling, the GRL layer was treated as a reinforced Timoshenko beam that suffers from arching loads, and the mobilization of arching loads would depend upon the differential settlement between piles and soft soils. In addition, the equivalent bending stiffness of GRL, accounting for the tensionless behavior of the granular layer, was also developed, and a correlation of the arch height and differential settlement was investigated by parametric study. The results indicate that the growth of arch height in the embankment would be promoted by pile–soil differential settlement, pile spacing, and pile diameter but inhibited by the shear strength of embankment soil.