Changes in geotechnical properties of embankments made of crushed solidified soils over time

One method for effectively utilizing the unsuitable soil that is generated at construction sites is to improve it by solidification. This method is reliable, as it causes strength to develop over time. The shape of the embankment is toe of slope of the embankment is thinnest and thickest towards the top of slope, so the greatest load acts on the center of the embankment. For this reason, when an embankment is constructed on soft ground, the center of the embankment will settle the most and the bottom of the embankment will be subjected to tensile stress. Unsolidified soil will gradually follow the deformation of the ground even when subjected to tensile stress, but embankments made of solidified soil will not be able to withstand the tensile stress caused by settlement and will crack. If the embankment is a river levee, there is the risk of water leakage through these cracks. The plains of Hokkaido, Japan, are widely distributed with peaty soft ground. When river levees are constructed using solidified soil on such ground, similar issues can occur. Crushed solidified soil is a material created by crushing solidified improved materials after they have undergone a certain period of strength development. This material is compactable and exhibits only a small strength increase after compaction. Previous studies have investigated the geotechnical properties of crushed solidified soil. In this current study, to understand the strength characteristics of crushed solidified soil, a one-year investigation was conducted on compacted lab specimens and embankments constructed in the field using this material to examine the relationship between elapsed time and strength. The lab specimens were found to exhibit a certain increase in strength over time. It was confirmed that the embankment material had a low degree of solidification and that the material aggregated into small clumps of soil. These results show that embankments made of crushed solidified soil exhibit low strength development, making such soil a suitable material for constructing embankments on soft ground.