Highway embankments over soft compressible alluvial deposits: guidelines for design and construction

This report provides guidelines for the selection and design of the various techniques available for embankment construction on soft soils. Embankment construction is placed in an overall highway engineering context and the constraints experienced when building embankments in these conditions are then discussed. Site appraisal and design techniques are considered in order to determine which construction method is most suitable. A general review of each of the methods is made, including a discussion on their use, applicability and appropriate design methods. The requirements for additional soils information or instrumentation during construction has also been addressed. The use of the design procedures is illustrated using an hypothetical example.