Numerical Modeling of Embankment Settlement Over Soft Soils

Abstract

This paper presents a numerical modeling of embankment settlement over soft soils. The embankment is in the Gulf Coast of the United States. It was originally constructed over soft soils in the 1960s and has been raised and reshaped numerous times. As the construction history and corresponding loading history of the embankment were not clear, vibrating wire piezometers were installed in the underlying soft soils after the most recent re-construction to better quantify excess pore water pressures and future consolidation settlement. Based on measured pore water pressures, a large strain numerical study was performed to estimate future consolidation settlement of the embankment. A two-dimensional uncoupled analysis was performed on a 2-dimensional (2D) cross section of the embankment. A fully coupled fast flow fluid-mechanical interaction analysis and an uncoupled fluid-mechanical interaction analysis were performed on a soil column model to verify that the uncoupled model produces comparable results to the fully coupled model. The modeling yielded results consistent with the Terzaghi’s one-dimensional (1D) consolidation theory, and offered insights into the deformation pattern of the embankment. The 2D cross section model may be used in subsequent soil-structure interaction analyses.