Performance of a pavement foundation system based on the partial compensation of masses method

Abstract

The system of the partial compensation of masses in the lacustrine zone of the Mexico Basin has been conceptualized, developed, used and improved over the past five decades as a foundation alternative for different types of roadways. This kind of foundation has been used in highways and runways built on lacustrine soils to reduce the settlement that can affect the service and operation conditions of those structures. In the construction of the new Mexico City International Airport in the Texcoco Lake area, various alternatives for runway foundations were evaluated through different test sections that were constructed to identify which of them would yield an adequate transfer of stress and prevent excessive total and differential deformations of the soil deposits. In this work, the behavior of the test section of the system of the partial compensation of masses, built in the Texcoco Lake area, is studied. An exploration campaign was performed; it consisted of different field and laboratory tests to determine the stratigraphic profile and the index and mechanical properties of the soil strata. Numerical models were applied using the finite element software PLAXIS 2D to analyze the behavior of the test section and to determine the maintenance frequency required to preserve the functionality of future runways. To validate the capability of the numerical models to properly simulate the stress-strain behavior of the test section, a comparative analysis was performed between the data obtained from the instrumentation installed on the test section and the results obtained from the finite element software. Once the numerical models were calibrated, the medium- and long-term behaviors of the test section were predicted, and the evolution over time of its surface geometry and transverse slopes were obtained.