Abstract
The formulations of tasks modelling embankments on soft soil, improved with columns and with reinforced load transfer platform (LTP), differ significantly. One of these differences is the distribution of equivalent load modelling part of the load carried by the LTP reinforcement and soft soil. This article analyses the influence of the nature of the load-modelling linear function, i.e., inverse triangular, uniformly distributed and triangular, as well as intermediate distributions. In total, 41 distributions of equivalent load were considered, and the results of the obtained deflection functions were compared with the measurement results of reinforcement deflection for 5 cases of experimental research available in the literature. A measure of the accuracy of mapping the reinforcement deflection curve was proposed as a relative error in relation to the deflection curve resulting from experimental measurements. Based on the analysis of the mapping error, it was determined that among the three commonly used distributions, the inverse triangular distribution shows the best fit in most of the analysed cases. However, not in every single case this is the distribution leading to a solution that best describes the behaviour of the geosynthetic reinforcement.
Highlights
For many years, embankments on soft soils improved with columns with transmission layer reinforcement have been the subject of worldwide research
Van Eekelen and Bezuijen [38] and Van Eekelen [10] analysed which of the distributions: triangular, uniform or inverse triangular gives the best fit to the obtained displacement results
The obtained results of the deflection curve mapping error allowed for the formulation of the following conclusions:
Summary
Embankments on soft soils improved with columns with transmission layer reinforcement have been the subject of worldwide research. This is an extremely complex problem due to a number of system interactions and occurring phenomena (e.g., the arching effect). The research results on embankments supported by a ground improved with columns are commonly presented in current literature, indicating the need for further analysis. The research concerns both cases, i.e., without LTP reinforcement and with reinforcement. Ellis and Aslam [1,2]
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