Traffic-load-induced permanent deformation of road on soft subsoil

A method for predicting the traffic-load-induced settlement of road on soft subsoil with a low embankment is proposed. The traffic-load-induced dynamic stress in subsoil is calculated by the multilayer elastic theory (not covered in this paper). Then the plastic vertical strain in subsoil is calculated by an empirical equation, in which constants are related to the physical and mechanical properties of subsoil. The method was applied to analyze three different cases in Saga, Japan. Comparisons of the calculated values with field data indicate that the proposed method can provide a reasonable prediction of traffic-load-induced permanent settlement of the road on soft subsoil with a low embankment. The method is useful for designing the road with a low embankment on soft subsoil. For the cases studied with embankment thickness of 0.75 to 2.7 m, the depth significantly influenced by traffic load is about 6 in below the base of the embankments.