Evaluating the influence of moisture on settling velocity of road embankment constructed with recycled construction wastes: Fid-Bau Portal

Evaluating the influence of moisture on settling velocity of road embankment constructed with recycled construction wastes

Liu, Lulu / Li, Zhe / Cai, Guojun / Congress, Surya S.C. / Liu, Xiaoyan / Dai, Baosen

Abstract

Highlights • Change in moisture and settling velocity of recycled construction waste are analyzed. • Influence of moisture on the settling velocity is mainly within a depth of 3 m. • Settling velocity of the arc-shaped protective slope section contains two peaks. • Prediction model for settling velocity of recycled construction waste is obtaind.

Abstract Variation in moisture can influence the mechanical performance of embankments, and affect the bearing capacity of pavement structures. Therefore, it is necessary to constrain the relationship between the moisture and the settling velocity of embankments, to assess the safety and stability of highways built on the embankments. This research includes a long-term study of monitoring the moisture and deformation of an embankment on the Xi’an-Xianyang Highway, China. The influence of moisture on the settling velocity of barricade and arc-shaped protective slope sections were analyzed in detail. The results show that changes to the moisture and settling velocity followed similar trends. The influence of moisture on the settling velocity were mainly observed within a depth of 3 m from the road surface. The settling velocity of the arc-shaped protective slope section was bimodal. A model to predict the influence of moisture on the settling velocity of embankments made from recycled construction wastes was developed, based on the probability density function defined by the Weibull distribution. A formula to describe the cumulative effects of moisture on the settling velocity was devised, based on data measured at the barricade sections.