The use of geosynthetic-reinforced soil (GRS) as a bridge abutment foundation has been adapted by the Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division in several projects. This adaptation is considered ideal and appropriate because of the nature of these projects. The design, construction, and performance of a GRS abutment system to support two bridges in the Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge in Hyde County, North Carolina, are illustrated. The bridge foundations were constructed over soft, silty fat clay (A-7-6[CH]) soils. The GRS abutment alternative was favored over a deep foundation system of driven prestressed concrete piles for economic and constructability reasons. A cellular confinement system (CCS) filled with gravel was used for the GRS abutment facing instead of the types of flexible facings typically used with GRS abutments. CCS facing has the advantage of providing abutment face protection against erosion and shallow scour, and the outer cell on both sides of the abutment can be filled with topsoil and seed to provide an aesthetically pleasing vegetated face. A geotechnical instrumentation monitoring program consisting of settlement plates and piezometers was established to evaluate the GRS abutment system performance during and after completion of construction. The foundation soils supporting the GRS abutments were preloaded before construction of the bridge footings to reduce anticipated long-term settlement and improve bridge performance. Design procedures and initial performance monitoring results indicated that the GRS abutments were performing satisfactorily.
Applications and Performance of Geosynthetic-Reinforced Soil Abutments on Soft Subsurface Soil Conditions
Transportation Research Record
Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board ; 2212 , 1 ; 74-81
2011-01-01
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
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