Use of Problematic Soils as

Engineered Fill for

Embankments

By
Siva Theivendrampillai
Sivakumar
Principal Engineer (Geotechnical)
Geotechnical Branch
 The problematic soils
considered are:
• Expansive Soils
• Dispersive Soils
• Erodible Soils
 WHY
• Problematic Soils - Normally “unsuitable
materials”.

• Significant quantities of excavated materials are

problematic soils. eg. High Plastic Clays

• It is very difficult to source good quality materials

locally for some projects

• Cost-effective to use some or all excavated

materials with constraints
 Expansive Clay
High Plasticity Clays - Potential to change in
volume with a change in moisture.
– Swelling upon wetting
– Shrinkage upon drying
• Potential (eg. CH clay)
• Placement (eg. Compaction Condition)
• Environment (eg. Arid/Wet) - Atmospheric
Some indicative values for highly reactive/expansive soils:
• Shrink-Swell Index > 3%
• CBR Swell > 4-5% (Standard compaction, 4 days soaked)

• WPI > 3200

• LS > 12%
 Edge Effects on Pavement due to
Moisture Balance

Sealed Surface Shoulder

Dynamic
Edge Effects Moisture
Balance

Stable Long Term

Conditions Beneath Seasonal
Centre of Pavement Variations
for Uncoverd
Area
 WPI Vs Shrink-Swell Index
8
Data from:
Dalby-Miles (Yarralla Dev)
7 Dalby-Miles (Macalister)
Mt Isa-Camooweal (Barkly Hwy)
Cramsie-Muttaburra (Longreach)
6 Toowoomba-Dalby (Lagoon Creek) r2=0.57
Toowoomba-Dalby (Doctor’s Creek)
5
Shrink-Swell Index

Gregory Hwy (Emerald)

2
Goomeri-Gayndah (Burnett Hwy)
Mackay-Bucasia
1 Cunningham Hwy (FG5417)
Yandina-Cooroy (Bruce Hwy)
Linkfield (Brisbane - R3380)
0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000
Weighted Plasticity Index (WPI)
 Expansive
Embankment
Materials
Average Properties:
PI = 41%
LS = 17%
WPI = 3660
Iss = 3.3

Longitudinal
Cracks

Cunningham
Highway
Effect of Embankment Batter Slope on
Pavement Cracking
Batter Slope
1V:1.5H
Expansive Soil Assumed
Active Zone
3m Horizontal
3m

Batter Slope
1V:4H
Expansive Soil

3m
Expansive Clays
In Queensland

Moisture Rich >500mm/yr

Moisture Hungry <500mm/yr

Keith Wallace (1988)

 Dispersive Soils
Clay content has a high percentage of
sodium. Therefore the clay fraction readily
breaks down to form a suspension in
water.
Indicative value for dispersive soils:

Emerson Class Number ≤ 3

Exchangeable Sodium Percentage (ESP) > 2%

A Test for Dispersive Soils
Warrego Highway Piping or
Marburg Tunnelling

Cunningham Hwy
Aratula
Dispersive
Embankment
Materials
Dispersive
Soil

Augustine Heights
Near Springfield
 Erodible Soils
Lack of cohesion to resist flow of water.

Silty/Sandy soils
PI < 7 and/or
fines < 15 % (that is, % passing 0.075mm)

Rate of erosion depends on several factors such as:

– Soil Properties (eg. Porosity and permeability)
– Rainfall intensity
– Batter slope
– Vegetation
 Embankment Material Properties
As per MRTS04 (MRS11.04)
Material WPI PI (%) % passing 0.075 mm
Description AS Sieve
Class A < 1200 ≥7 15 – 30
Class B 1200 < 2200 - -
Class C 2200 < 3200 - -
Class D* 3200 < 4000 ≤ 50 -

* Material that is inferior to Class D is unsuitable material

WPI = PI x % passing 0.425 mm sieve

 Embankment Zones
Pavement
Subgrade
Outer Zone 1 to 2 m
Upper Zone

CORE ZONE

Min
2.5m

In general
Core Zone: Expansive Clays (Class C/D), Dispersive/Erodible Soils
Upper and Outer Zones: Better Materials (Class A/B)
For details: Refer MRTS04 (MRS 11.04)

Embankment Height >10m should be geotechnically designed.

 Embankment Height between 1.5m and 6m (from MRTS 04)
Zoned Cross-Section Homogene
Batter Rainfall Upper Zone General Fill Class ous
H (m)
Slope Zone Thickness Cross-
(m) Core Upper Outer Section
Low to A, B,
1.0
Medium C
1V:2.5H 0.6 m when
(or Class C and
shallow) High 1.0 m when
Greater Class D in
than core
1.5 m
and 0.6 m when A, B, C,
Class C and A, B A, B
less Low to D
than or 1.0 m when A, B
Medium
equal to Between Class D in
6m 1V:2H core Pavement
Subgrade
and 1.0 m when Class A/B Y
Cla
1V:2.5H /B
5m

Class C and ss
assA A/B
High 1.5 m when Cl Class A, B, C, D

Class D in Min 2.5m

core
 Embankment Height greater than 6m
(from MRTS 04)
Zoned Cross-Section
Homogene
Batter Rainfall General Fill Class ous
H (m) Upper Zone
Slope Zone Thickness Cross-
(m) Core Upper Outer Section

Low to
1.5 m when A, B A, B A, B
Greater Medium
Class C
than 1V:2H
and 2.0 m A, B,
6m (or
when C, D
And shallow) High A, B A A
Class D in
≤10 m
core

1V:1.5H
Low to
≤ 10 (or ROCK FILL
High
shallow)

>10 To be geotechnically designed

 Moisture Content Range for From
Embankment Fill Materials MRTS 04
General Fill Material
Percentage of optimum moisture content (standard
Median compaction)
Rainfall
Annual
Zone
Rainfall (mm)
Class A Class B Class C Class D

> 800
High 50 – 80 60 – 90 100 – 140* 100 – 140*

500 – 800
Medium 50 – 80 60 – 90 80 – 100 80 – 100

Low < 500 50 – 80 60 – 80 60 – 80 60 – 80

* These limits apply to material without added water. Where water is added to achieve compaction,
the limits shall be 85 – 110.
 Compaction Requirements
(MRTS 04)

Characteristic Value of
Location Material Relative
Compaction

Class A or B 95% minimum

Class C or D 90% minimum

(High rainfall zone) 96% maximum
Road embankment

Class C or D
(Low and medium rainfall 95% minimum
zones)
 Stabilisation
Alternative to “Zoned Embankment”,
stabilisation of the problematic soils can
be considered. For example:
• Expansive soil – Lime / cement / fly ash
• Dispersive soil – Gypsum / Lime

However it may not be cost-effective.

 Summary
• Regional soil behaviour should be taken onto account

• Investigation to be carried out to identify problematic soils

• Problematic soils such as

– Expansive soils
– Dispersive soils
– Erodible soils
can be encapsulated by better quality fill materials as per MRTS04
(MRS 11.04) for road embankment.

• Embankment Height >10m should be geotechnically

designed.
Acknowledgment
All staff within Geotechnical Branch

THANK YOU