GEOTILL Engineering (www.geotill.com) is Geotechnical Services Provider of comprehensive, and cost effective Civil and Geotechnical Engineering services for clients located throughout the Midwest in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Missouri. Provides Geotechnical Engineering - onshore, nearshore and offshore foundations; excavations, slopes, retaining structures, tunnels, ground improvement. Numerical Analysis in 2D and 3D for the optimized design and assessment of ground displacements and soil-structure interaction. Tunnel Engineering – investigation, planning, design, documentation and construction supervision of tunnels for roads, rail, power supply, water supply and sewerage systems.

1. Embankment
Soft Clay
CONTROL OF
EMBANKMENTS
CONSTRUCTION BY
OBSERVING
LATERAL
DEFORMATION
Malek Smadi, Ph.D., P.E.
Principal Engineer - GEOTILL
Fishers, Indiana
msmadi@geotill.com - www.geotill.com
GEOTILL, Inc.

2. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Statement of the
Problem
AS
U AD
Dm
St
ZI
t, g
B
L
Lo
h
Lc
Ds
Sd
Su
b
z
Zm
b
Evaluating and comparing entire ground
deformations allows the prediction of ground
failure during embankment construction.

3. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Statement of the
Problem
Organic Soil Layer

4. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Statement of the
Problem

5. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Undrained shear Deformation
depends on:
Soil profile
Nature of soil deposits
Type of structure
Rate and method of construction

6. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Evaluation of the Undrained
Settlement of Structures on
Clay Is Important Because:
Undrained settlement may
constitute a large portion of the
total final settlement
Undrained settlement is closely
related to the undrained stability
of a foundation

7. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Behavior of Clay Foundation
Subjected to Embankment
Loading
sp
DsDu
Time
Time
Time
Time

8. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Observations of Behavior of
Trial Embankment during
Construction
gH, kPa
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
ExcessPorePressure
Du,kPa
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
FP
s p - s vo
= 22 kPa
B2 = 0.98
B3 =
2.5
B1 = 0.63
gH, kPa
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
SettlementStandMaximum
LateralDeformationDm,cm
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Pause in
construction
for 2 days
St
Du
Dm

9. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Compilation of Observed Pore
Pressure in Clay at the Beginning of
Embankment Construction
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0z/ZI
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
+-D
mean

Dsv
Du

10. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Typical Du = ƒ (Dsv)
Relationship
Dsp - Dsvo
F
P
Dsv critical
Dsv critical
Due
Applied Vertical Stress Dsv = I (gH)

11. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Computed Total Stress vs.
Measured Excess Pore Water
Pressure
(Dsv) Computed, kPa
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Du)Measured,kPa
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
O
Ska Edeby
Changi
Chek Lap Kok

12. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Effective and Total Stress
Paths under the Center of an
Embankment

13. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Deformation of the Ground
under an Embankment
Using Lateral Deformation as a Measure of
Undrained Stability

14. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
The Relationship between the Depth
of the Maximum Lateral Deformation
and the Depth of Lateral Deformation
Influence
ZI, m
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Zm,m
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Zm
= 0.3 ZI

15. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
The volume of soil that displaces horizontally
is related to the volume of soil that displaces
vertically. Therefore, the progress of lateral
deformation with time can be estimated using
the equations:
Deformability
Factor
Where:
a = Deformability Factor
AD = a AS (t)
Dm = a St (t)
OR
St
Dm

16. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Deformability
Factor
The deformability factor is a
function of:
Geometry of embankment
Drainage conditions
Properties of foundation clay
which will vary with time

17. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Deformability
Factor Values
Deformability factor, has different values
corresponding up to five periods during the life of an
embankment:
 From beginning of construction to the yield point
 From the yield point to end of construction
 From beginning of construction to end of
construction
 From end of construction up to five years
 From five years to very long term

18. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Canvey Island Tank 4352; Vertical
Volumetric Displacement Vs
Lateral Volumetric Displacement
Vertical Volumetric displacement VV (m3)
0 400 800 1200
0
40
80
120
160
VH
Vv
= 14.5%
HorizontalVolumetric
DisplacementVH(m3)

19. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
I-95 Sec 246,
Boston
Soil Profile
Water
Content (%)
20 40
D/Dm
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
Z/ZI
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
Dm = 10.9 cm
ZI = 44 m
Medium fine sand
Stiff boston blue clay
Soft boston
blue clay
Medium boston
blue clay
OCR from 9 to 1
N = 20
Undrained Shear
Strength
su (Fv) (kpa)
20 40 60
Vertical Sttesses
s'vo, s'p and
sv' (EOC) (kpa)
0 200 400
s'vo
s'p
(EOC)
s'vo
+ Dsv
620 day ( EOC)
473 day
375 day
570 day
2000 day
N = 10

20. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
I-95 Sec 246 Lateral Deformation
Vs Total Settlement
St (cm), at the center
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Dm(cm),atthetoe
0
4
8
12
16
20
375 day
620 day
(End of construction)
473 day
2000
day0.19
0.54
0.27
0.19

21. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Relationship between the Maximum Lateral
Deformation and the Settlement after the End
of Construction under Seven Embankments
DSt, Consturction Settlement, cm
0 20 40 60 80 100
DDm,MaximumLateral
Deformation
0
5
10
15
20
25
DDm
= 0.16 DSt
Cubzac B
Provins
Palavas, with drains
Palavas, without drain
St. Alban B
Drammen II
Ska Edeby VI
o

22. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Deformability
Factor Values
From beginning of construction to the yield
point (represent overconsolidated states at
the beginning of banking) :
Dm = 0.22 St
St
Dm

23. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Deformability
Factor Values
From the yield point to end of construction
(represent normally consolidated states at the
completion of embankment construction):
Dm = 0.71 St
St
Dm

24. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Deformability
Factor Values
From end of construction up to five years
(where consolidation is dominant):
Dm = 0.17 St
St
Dm

25. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Deformability
Factor Values
From five years to very long term (increased
significance of secondary deformations)
Dm = 0.07 St
St
Dm

26. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Factor of Safety Vs (Lateral
Deformation/Shear Modulus)
Factor of Safety
0 1 2 3
LateralDeformation(cm)/ShearModulus(kpa)
0.0001
0.001
0.01
0.1 1 Gardiner Dam
2 I-95 Sec 246
3 Portsmouth
4 New Liskeard
5 Gloucester Test Embankment
6 Fukuyama
7 Sakura
8 Nagareyama
9 Hazama
10 Toichi
11 Isehara
12 Uenodai
13 Ska Edeby Test Emankment VI
14 Hachirogata
15 Takezato
16 Toyooka 1
17 Toyooka 2
18 Canvey Island Tank 4352
19 Kalix (Failed)
20 Natal Coast Embankment
21 Debris Dike (Failed)
22 Stoegersbachdamm Road
Embankment
23 James Terminal Facility Tank 6
24 James bay Test Embankment
25 Olga C zone A
26 Olga C Zone C
27 Deep Seated Base Failure of an
Embankment
28 Genesee South Fill
29 Highway 97

27. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Dm/St Vs St Diagram
for Prediction Failure
Dm/St
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4
St,m
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
Yaizu
(STA884)
Fukuroi
Tsukisappu
Aiko
Koisegawa
Chiba-A
Chiba-D
Tamajima-2Kure
Fukuroi (C)
No-219
Tsurikawa-Bashi
Fukuroi (N)
Koda
Yaizu (STA876+20)
Yaizu (STA882)
Tamajima-1
Saga
Failure
Non Failure
Failure Curve
St
Dm

28. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Control of Embankment
Construction
This method has been used for monitoring
the factor of safety during construction by
observing vertical settlement at the center
under an embankment and the horizontal
displacement near the toe of the slope
Using this method most of the embankments
failed near the curve that separates stable
from unstable conditions

29. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Control Chart
Dm/St
0.0 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6
St,m
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
Observed Data
q/qf = 1.0
q/qf = 0.9 - 0.99
q/qf = 0.8 - 0.89
q/qf = 0.7 - 0.79
q/qf = 0.6 - 0.69
1.0(FS=1.0)
0.9(1.1)
0.8
(1.3)
0.7
(1.4)
0.6
(1.7)

30. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Control Chart
Dm/St
0.0 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6
St,m
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
1.0 (FS = 1.0)
0.9 (1.1)
0.8 (1.3)0.7 (1.4)0.6 (1.7)
4
3
2
1
B
A
Tokyo Bay Coastal Road Embankment
Before point A, Banking 5.0 cm/day
Between point A & B, Banking 9.0 cm/day
After point B, Banking 3.8 cm/day
Whitewall Creek
1 End of first lift
2 End of first consolidation stage
3 End of second lift
4 End of second consolidation stage
Koda Embankment
Failure Line

31. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Conclusions
The values of adeformability factor) for
Dm were in the range of 0.17 from the end of
construction to 5 years, to 0.71 from yield
point to end of construction.
These factors could be used to estimate
behavior of lateral deformation from
settlement observations in the absence of
inclinometers across the embankment.

32. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Conclusions
Dm/St versus St plot can be used to
monitor the degree of safety during
embankment construction.
St
Dm

33. Malek Smadi Ph.D., P.E.
Dr. Malek Smadi, P.E.
Principal Engineer - GEOTILL
Fishers, Indiana
msmadi@geotill.com
www.geotill.com
Questions ?