Performance of Embankments on Soft Ground at Highway 11 Underpass at Black Creek/Robins Road in Northeastern Ontario

Keli Shi, Jason Lee, Tony Sangiuliano, Brady Lin

In the proceedings of: GeoEdmonton 2018: 71st Canadian Geotechnical Conference; 13th joint with IAH-CNC

Session: Posters - Geotechnical

ABSTRACT: This paper presents a case study that describes design, construction and post construction investigation and monitoring of approach embankments at Highway 11 Underpass at Black Creek/Robins Road located in Northeastern Ontario. The approach embankments approximately 10 m in height were constructed on up to 35 m of soft to firm clay deposit using a combination of ground improvement techniques including wick drains, surcharge, stabilizing berm and light-weight fill (Expanded Polystyrene - EPS blocks). Subsurface conditions at the site are comprised of deposits of slightly over-consolidated to normally consolidated glaciolacustrine silty clays. The soft to firm and highly compressible soils posed short term stability and long-term settlement challenges. This paper provides engineering design and construction background applied to ensure short term and long term performance of the approach embankments. The paper presents findings of data collected to examine the soil properties and behaviour following construction of the embankments. A comparison of the soil properties of the foundation clays before and after embankment construction has been conducted to better understand the effects of ground improvement and to enable more accurate predictions of strength gain and magnitude and time rate of settlements.

RÉSUMÉ: Cet article présente une étude bref de la conception, construction et surveillance après construction pour les remblais adjacent au pont de Black Creek/ Robins Road a Route 11 au Nord-est Ontario. Les remblais, dont environ 11 mètres en hauteur, soutiennent par la couche argiles molles à maximum 35 m en profondeur. Les remblais ont construit par amélioration des sols comme drains verticaux, glaciolacustrine est presque normalement consolidé et la condition molle et compressible pose des complexités à propos de la stabilité et le tassement pendant de temps immédiate et éloigné. Cet article résume les méthodes des conception et construction utilisent pour vérifier la performance des remblais adjacent au pont. On présente une description sommaire des données géotechniques et un résumé du comportement en construction. On évalue les changements de sol pendant le chargement et discuter des effets des modes amélioration de sol.

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Cite this article:
Keli Shi; Jason Lee; Tony Sangiuliano; Brady Lin (2018) Performance of Embankments on Soft Ground at Highway 11 Underpass at Black Creek/Robins Road in Northeastern Ontario in GEO2018. Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian Geotechnical Society.

@article{geo2018Paper297,author = Keli Shi; Jason Lee; Tony Sangiuliano; Brady Lin,title = Performance of Embankments on Soft Ground at Highway 11 Underpass at Black Creek/Robins Road in Northeastern Ontario,year = 2018}