FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF GEOTEXTILE-REINFORCED EMBANKMENT ON PAK PANANG SOFT CLAY STABILIZED BY BERM ON PILES
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Abstract
This study investigates the stability of geotextile-reinforced embankments constructed on Pak Panang soft clay and improved with berms on piles, aiming to prevent and mitigate road damage in Pak Panang District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand. The analysis was conducted using the finite element method implemented in PLAXIS 2D to simulate the behavior of embankments with a width of 9 m and heights of 1, 2, and 3 m. The subsoil profile consisted of topsoil, soft clay, and stiff clay layers. Five reinforcement scenarios were examined, including unreinforced embankments, geotextile reinforcement, berm reinforcement, pile reinforcement, and a combination of berm and pile reinforcement. The results indicate that embankment height significantly influences system stability. As the embankment height increases, the factor of safety decreases, while displacement and stress within the soft clay layer tend to increase. Pile reinforcement effectively transfers loads to the underlying stiff clay layer, thereby reducing settlement, whereas berm reinforcement enhances lateral resistance. Among the considered alternatives, the combined berm and pile system provides the most effective improvement, yielding the highest factor of safety and the best control of embankment deformation across all height conditions.
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