SECTION 27 – EMBANKMENT ON SOFT SOIL

27.1 GENERAL ...............................................................................................................................S27 - 1

27.2 DRAINAGE LAYER ..............................................................................................................S27 - 1

27.2.1 SAND DRAINAGE LAYER.................................................................................................... S27 - 1

27.2.2 GRAVEL DRAINAGE LAYER ............................................................................................... S27 - 1

27.3 REINFORCEMENT GEOTEXTILE ...................................................................................S27 - 2

27.3.1 GENERAL ........................................................................................................................... S27 - 2

27.3.2 PROTECTION OF GEOTEXTILE............................................................................................. S27 - 2
27.3.3 SITE PREPARATION AND LAYING OF GEOTEXTILES ............................................................ S27 - 2
27.3.4 JOINTS ................................................................................................................................ S27 - 2

27.4 PREFABRICATED VERTICAL DRAINS ..........................................................................S27 - 2

27.4.1 GENERAL ........................................................................................................................... S27 - 2

27.4.2 PERIOD OF CONSOLIDATION............................................................................................... S27 - 2
27.4.3 DRAIN LENGTHS AND SPACING .......................................................................................... S27 - 3
27.4.4 PROPERTIES ....................................................................................................................... S27 - 3
27.4.5 INSTALLATION ................................................................................................................... S27 - 4
 SECTION 27 – EMBANKMENTS ON SOFT SOIL

27.1 GENERAL

The construction of road embankments on soft soil shall be carried out in accordance
with the methods, sequence and rates of filling indicated on the Drawings. In each case
the method of construction shall be reflected in the Contractor’s programme.

The compaction of all embankment material including any portion placed to make up
anticipated settlements shall be in accordance with the Specification. Any fill material
which at the time of placing within 900mm below formation level shall be compacted to
95% of the maximum dry density as determined using B.S. 1377 Test 13.

During the construction of embankments on soft soil the Contractor shall carefully
monitor porewater pressures, settlements and horizontal displacements of the
embankment material as indicated by the piezometers, rod settlement gauges and
displacement markers installed as specified or shown on the Drawings.

Unless instructed otherwise by the S.O., such readings shall be taken and reported as
specified in the Specification.

Should the S.O. so direct, filling operations shall be immediately suspended and shall not
resume until directed by the S.O.

27.2 DRAINAGE LAYER

27.2.1 Sand Drainage Layer

Fill material complying with Specification shall be placed to form a sand drainage layer
of the specified thickness. The Contractor should arrange his method of construction to
avoid heave of the foundation soil and to prevent rutting or unnecessary distortion of the
sand drainage layer.

27.2.2 Gravel Drainage Layer

a) Where shown on the Drawings or directed by the S.O. approved geotextile

fabric or geotextile reinforcement in accordance with Sub-clause 12.3, shall be
placed on the cleared and graded subsoil foundation prior to the deposition of
free draining material.

b) Free draining material complying with Specification shall be placed to form a

gravel drainage layer of the specified thickness. No constructional; plant shall
be allowed to travel directly over the geotextile layer, where provided, until a
sufficient thickness of material ahs been placed to prevent damage to the
geotextile or to avoid heave of the foundation soil.

c) Where shown on the Drawings, a second layer of geotextile shall be laid on top
of the free draining material before commencing the placing of the embankment
fill.

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27.3 REINFORCEMENT GEOTEXTILE

27.3.1 General

High strength woven reinforcement geotextile and consists of long chain synthetic
polymers and shall be manufactured locally with accredited with ISO 9001/9002
Certifications. The geotextile shall conform with the following requirements as shown on
the Drawings.

27.3.2 Protection of Geotextile

The geotextile rolls shall be suitably wrapped to protect against moisture and ultra-violet
(sunlight). Each roll shall be properly labeled for easy identification and the geotextile
shall be stored at properly constructed shed or store in elevated platform to prevent
seepage of groundwater into the materials. No geotextile shall be left exposed to the
natural elements unprotected for more that 3 days.

27.3.3 Site Preparation and Laying of Geotextiles

Prior to the installation of the geotextile fabric, the site shall be properly cleared and all
stones and other deleterious materials that may damage the geotextile fabric. The
geotextile shall be laid in the manner as shown on the Drawings or as directed by the
S.O.

27.3.4 Joints

The geotextile shall be jointed in the weft direction or as directed by the S.O. All
reinforcing geotextile shall have a selvedge for both weft edges to retain dn enhance the
seam in the weft direction. Joints shall be performed in the weft joint in the form of
“Double J-Seam” using polyester thread with a minimum 200N breaking load at not less
than 3 stitches per 25mm using a double chain stitch sewing machine. The double J-seam
joint shall retain a minimum of 50% of the strip tensile strength in the weft direction.

27.4 PREFABRICATED VERTICAL DRAINS

27.4.1 General

Prefabricated vertical drains shall be installed after completion of placement of

foundation fill in the areas shown on the Drawings, for the purpose of accelerating the
consolidation settlement and at the same time achieving a gain in strength of the soft
compressible soils beneath embankment fill.

27.4.2 Period of Consolidation

The drains are to be installed from the top of the foundation fill or as indicated in the
drawings. A rest period for consolidation of six (6) months or as specified on the
Drawings shall then be allowed. Field vane shear tests in the compressible layer at not
less than 1m intervals or as directed by the S.O. shall be carried out and the result
submitted to the S.O, If the required vane shear strengths as shown on the Drawings or as
determined by the S,O. are not achieved, the rest period shall be extended until the
required strengths are achieved. Throughout the rest period, the height of fill shall be
maintained by constant topping up to within + 100mm of the specified level to make up
for the drop in level due to settlement. The embankment sand fill shall then be

S27 - 2
 constructed to the levels indicated on the Drawings. Another rest period of six (6)
months shall be provided unless directed otherwise by the S.O. The embankment fill
height shall be maintained by constant topping up to within + 100mm of the specified
level during the consolidation period.

27.4.3 Drain Lengths and Spacing

The vertical drains shall be installed through:-

a) The foundation sand fill

b) The initial sand fill

c) The high strength geotextiles

d) The underlying soft compressible layer

The drains shall be installed at grid points with the spacing shown on the Drawings.

27.4.4 Properties

The prefabricated vertical drain shall comprise of: -

a) Approved polymer core

b) A core and a filter and shall comply with the requirements of the table below:-

Properties Value

Water discharge capacity Not less than 2.5 x 10-5m3/sec after 2 weeks

Permeability of the filter membrane Not less than 4.5 x 10-4m/sec

Filter EOS 80 + 20µm

(ASTM D 35)

Wet tensile strength of filter 2.0 kN (SCAN/ISO/5081)

Dry tensile strength of filter 2.0 kN

Tensile strength of the dry core 1 kN

Equivalent drain diamater Not less than 0.05m

The core and filter may be manufactured as one unit or it may be wrapped around the
core.
The drains shall transmit water its length in distinct continuous formed channel. They
shall be flexible capable of being wound without damage on a drum of 300mm minimum
diameter and strong enough so as not to break, tear or lose its drainage properties during
installation.
The drains shall maintain their properties throughout the required period of
consolidation.

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27.4.5 Installation

The installation procedure shall be such as to ensure that no damage or ‘kinks’ will be
developed in the drains.

Installation of the drains shall be by displacement method using a vibro driven machine
of sufficient capacity to install the drain housed within a mandrel through the different
layers and subsequently to retract the mandrel. Installation of the drains and retraction of
the mandrel shall be carried out in a single downward and single upward stroke and no
alternate raising and lowering of the mandrel shall be permitted.

The drain shall be equipped with an end shoe to prevent smearing of the drain faces.

The size and shape of the mandrel and end shoe shall be as close as possible to the size
and shape of the drains in order to reduce disturbance to the soil. The length of the
mandrel shall be not less than the maximum length of the drain.

Where anchor shoes are specified, they shall be of a minimum size capable of holding
the drain in place at the required depth as the mandrel is withdrawn.

After installation of the drains, the debris around the drain position shall be cleared away
and not allowed to contaminate the fill material.

The installation of the drains shall be terminate at a depth where refusal is met but after
the S.O. has been satisfied that the drains have successfully penetrated the underlying
soft compressible layer and that the Contractor ahs met the Contract requirements to
penetrate the materials described in Sub-clause 12.4.3 including the high strength
geotextile.

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