TENSARTECH PLATEAU

load transfer platform system

over piled foundations

Tensar Technology proven, practical solutions

and the know-how to get them designed and built.

Tensar Technology is widely adopted for Pavement

Optimisation and Subgrade Stabilisation to improve the
structural performance of paved roads and unbound roads
and platforms. Tensar Technology is also adopted for Earth
Retaining Systems for cost effectiveness and versatility
over other traditional methods. By delivering real savings in
cost and time, Tensar Technology can help you improve the
bottom line on your project as well as preserving the
invested capital.

Constructing Load Transfer Platforms over Weak Ground with

Piled Foundations
Engineers often need to construct embankments in areas
where minimal settlement can be tolerated. This is especially
true when the serviceability of adjacent structures would be
compromised by anything other than minimal settlement.
The engineer, therefore, needs to design a foundation that
will provide a firm support without the consequential
settlements and consolidation of underlying soils.
Using a load transfer platform (LTP) over a piled foundation
avoids the delay required for consolidation settlement as a
result of placing embankment fill over compressible soils. The
Tensar load transfer platform distributes embankment loads
efficiently onto a series of piles or vibro concrete columns
(VCCs) which bear on firmer strata below. This avoids the cost
of using a concrete raft. In situations where the foundation
soils can be assured to provide some permanent support to
the area between the piles, then a TensarTech Plateau LTP
system of good quality granular fill reinforced with multiple
layers of Tensar geogrids can be used. In other installations
an alternative design using Tensar Basetex can be employed
and may accommodate poorer quality fill if necessary.

TensarTech Plateau LTP systems have also been successfully

used below concrete ground floor slabs in order to avoid
designing the slabs to span between piles. However, LTPs are
not suitable for use with some ground treatment techniques
such as vibro stone columns.
When settlement restrictions dictate that a deep foundation
solution is required to support an embankment or groundbearing slab, a TensarTech Plateau LTP system:
Avoids the delay required for consolidation settlement
Avoids the need for concrete rafts, or ground beams
Can be used under ground-bearing slabs to avoid or
minimise bending
Is rapid and economical to install
Is a proven, reliable solution

2
Cut-away view of embankment
supported over a load transfer platform.

Installing pile caps.

Geogrid installation.

Placing a fill layer.

Load Transfer Mechanisms

ENHANCED ARCH LOAD TRANSFER PLATFORM
The inclusion of Tensar geogrids within granular layers
has been shown to increase the angle of load distribution
considerably in comparison with the unreinforced condition.
The geogrids interlock with the fill to mobilise the maximum
shear strength of the granular layer and enhance the load
spreading mechanism.
A TensarTech Plateau LTP utilises the enhanced arch
mechanism and is designed such that the majority of the
overlying embankment load is transferred directly to the
pile heads via a reinforced granular layer. The Tensar geogrid
confines the granular material, thereby resisting dilation and
effectively increasing its shear strength - see figure 1.

TENSIONED MEMBRANE
LOAD TRANSFER PLATFORM (LTP)
Where conditions do not suit the TensarTech Plateau LTP
system, an alternative Tensioned Membrane solution using
Tensar Basetex high strength geotextile may be used.
A Tensioned Membrane LTP is designed such that the
embankment fill is supported directly by the Basetex
geotextile spanning between the piles. This load is
transferred into the piles by tension in the geotextile. Arching
within the fill results in some reduction in vertical stress
applied to the geotextile compared with the full embankment
height. There is no special requirement for fill properties - see
figure 2.

The granular fill material below the theoretical arch must be

permanently supported by the geogrids and the subgrade in
combination, while the arch itself must be loaded by either
additional fill or a concrete slab to ensure that the arch is
permanently locked in compression.

Embankment fill

Embankment fill

Reduced vertical
stress carried by
reinforcement due
to arching in fill
Tensar Basetex
reinforcement

Granular fill

Permanent support
from subgrade
between piles

Tensar geogrids interact

with granular fill to enable
enhanced arch to develop

Figure 1: TensarTech Plateau Enhanced Arch mechanism.

Tensar Design Service

Tensars experienced civil engineers are able to help take your
project onto the next stage. Our Design service is on-hand to
provide standard Application Suggestions to establish
viability of Tensars products and systems and enable
planning costs, right through to preparing certified detailed
design and construction drawings for using Tensar products
and systems on your project. Upon request, we can provide all
necessary design certification and working calculations in a
form ready for checking, with drawings issued for
construction as well as all the crucial specification and
installation details.

Tensioned membrane
transfer load to piles

Figure 2: Alternative Tensioned Membrane mechanism with Tensar Basetex.

Examples of Load Transfer Platforms

TENSARTECH PLATEAU ENHANCED ARCH LOAD TRANSFER PLATFORM
New highway

Existing
light
railways

Tensar
geogrid

Piles

Embankment support over soft ground where only minimal settlements

can be tolerated.

Bulk fill
embankment

Highway construction adjacent to a rigid railway structure.

Varies

Well-graded
granular fill

Two layers of
Tensar geogrid

Granular fill
working carpet

Vibro
concrete
column

Estuarine clay
& peat

Load
transfer
platform

Original
ground level

Embankment support over soft ground where time for consolidation is

either not available or can not be reliably determined.

Reduced span

Motorway toll booth plaza constructed on a TensarTech Plateau LTP - the

alternative to surcharge avoiding uncertainty of predicting consolidation period.

Reinforced
concrete slab

VCCs

Three layers
of Tensar
geogrid

Support of concrete ground floor slabs over soft ground.

Building of a supermarket using a TensarTech Plateau LTP is a proven and

reliable solution.

TENSIONED MEMBRANE LOAD TRANSFER PLATFORM

Basetex high-strength geotextiles provide the necessary
load/strain properties when the basal reinforcement is
designed to act as a Tensioned Membrane spanning between

the piles. This approach is used, for example, when there is

insufficient granular fill available to form the LTP layer.

4
Reinforced soil embankment constructed over Tensioned Membrane LTP
using Tensar Basetex.

Tensar Basetex Tension Membrane below High Speed 1 railway

embankment.

Small pile caps being cast prior to constructing the TensarTech Plateau load transfer platform system.

Construction of a TensarTech Plateau Enhanced Arch Load

Transfer Platform System
Once the supporting piles/VCCs have been installed the simple
construction process involves the inclusion of 2 or 3 layers of
Tensar geogrids in the granular layers above the supports. Dead
weight compaction of the cushion layer of fill under the

bottom grid, and the layer of fill between the bottom two
grids, is the only deviation from standard embankment
placement and compaction operations. Overlapping, or tying,
of adjacent grids provides the continuity required.

A grid layer is placed.

The design thickness of granular fill is placed, spread and compacted.

Case Study - Second Severn Crossing, UK

The Toll Plaza area for the Second Severn Crossing in the UK
was built over compressible soils supported on VCCs. Load
from the embankment and pavement above was transmitted
to the VCCs using a TensarTech Plateau enhanced arch load
transfer platform (LTP). The graphs summarise the
performance from monitoring this LTP. Settlement above the
VCCs and mid-way between them is almost the same,

whereas stress measured at subgrade level between the

VCCs is almost zero. These results show how well the design
assumptions have been realised in practice. The TensarTech
Plateau Enhanced Arch LTP has performed as a stiff raft,
transmitting loads from the pavement and embankment
directly to the VCCs using the excellent load spreading
capability of a granular layer reinforced with Tensar geogrids.

Traffic loading

Settlement (mm)

Embankment
level (mOD)

10
5

Final earthworks

Road
construction

0
10

Stress (kN/m2)

75mm down
granular LTP
600mm thick

Rockfill

20

Above VCCs (range)

Mid span vccs (range)
Construction history

30
40
50
250

Tensar geogrids
at 150mm
vertical spacing

500mm
diameter
VCCs

200
150
100
50
0

2.2 to 2.7m spacing with triangular layout

0

28

56

84 112 140 168

Days

195 224

Second Severn Crossing TensarTech Plateau load transfer platform performance.

Details of TensarTech Plateau load transfer platform at Second Severn Crossing.

Contact Tensar or your local distributor to receive further

literature covering Tensar products and applications.
Also available on request are product specifications,
installation guides and specification notes.
The complete range of Tensar literature consists of:

Your local distributor is:

Tensar Geosynthetics in Civil Engineering

A guide to products, systems and services
Subgrade Stabilisation
Stabilising unbound layers in roads and trafficked areas
with a Tensar MSL
Spectra Pavement Optimisation System
Improving the structural performance of whole
pavements with a Tensar MSL
Asphalt Pavements
Reinforcing asphalt layers in roads and trafficked areas
TensarTech Earth Retaining Systems
Bridge abutments, retaining walls and steep slopes
Railways
Mechanical stabilisation of track and sub-ballast
TensarTech Plateau
Load transfer platform system over piled foundations
Basal Reinforcement
Basetex high-strength geotextiles
TensarTech Stratum
Cellular foundation mattress system for foundations
with controlled settlement

Tensar International Limited

Units 2-4 Cunningham Court
Shadsworth Business Park
Blackburn BB1 2QX
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1254 262431
Fax: +44 (0)1254 266867
e-mail: info@tensar.co.uk
tensar-international.com

Q 05288
ISO 9001:2008

EMS 86463
ISO 14001:2004

Copyright Tensar International Limited 2013

Tensar Erosion Control

A guide to products and systems

Printed September 2013, Issue 13, 485/09-2013

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