The effect of soft clay improvement using Prefabricated Vertical Drain (PVD) for rigid pavement structure

Abstract

Rigid pavement is widely used in subgrade conditions that have low bearing capacity so that it will affect the life of the road plan and rigid pavement performance. Soil improvement that can be done is by using Prefabricated Vertical Drain (PVD). Soil consolidation with plate load test is carried out to get the modulus of subgrade reaction. Modulus of subgrade reaction without PVD is 2179,24 kN/m2/m and with PVD distance of 100 mm is 11311,09 kN/m2/m. The modulus of the verified subgrade reaction without PVD is 22419,21 kN/m2/m and with PVD is 38718,40 kN/m2/m. The thickness of the analyzed plates are respectively of 150 mm, 200 mm, 250 mm, 300 mm, and 350 mm. The position of the vehicle wheel load is in the middle, the end, and the edge. The deflections due to the position at the middle, the end, and the edge loads respectively for the entire plate thickness are reduced by an average value of 31%, 34%, and 33%. Rigid pavement performance based on the modulus of subgrade reaction and deflection caused by MST 10 ton vehicle loads with a 1.2 axis configuration shows that soil improvement using PVD can increase the modulus of subgrade reaction and reduce deflection values.