This paper presents a brief research on the influence of loading duration or strain rate on the undrained shear resistance of soft clays and reports the case observed during the construction of the Via UHOS, a roadway built in Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area for traffic of special vehicles transporting ultra heavy over size equipment. Based on the Via UHOS experience and the conducted research it was proposed a new procedure for designing of embankments on soft soils taking into account the influence of loading duration on undrained shear resistance. The new procedure makes possible more cost-effective solutions for projects of road embankments subject to exceptionally high loads traffic than those resulting from the use of the current methodology that considers such charges permanent.
Subjects: embankments on soft soils, loading duration, strain rate
Author: Giana Laport Alves de Souza, M.Sc., Marcus Peigas Pacheco, PhD and Rubenei Novais Souza, PhD
Publisher: DFI, EFFC