Piled Embankments

OUR SOLUTIONS

Piled Embankments

There are many situations where it is necessary to limit the vertical settlement of an embankment, due to the consolidation of a soft foundation. For example:

– Thick layers of soft soil can generally be problematic, as well as differential settlement

– Construction adjacent to structures already on piled foundations (e.g. bridge support piers)

– Sensitive serviceability limits for the embankment above

In these situations, the embankment is typically built on a piled foundation.

Paralink: strong and cost-effective

 

High strength Paralink® or MacGrid® WG geogrids, offering high strength with very low strain characteristics, used in conjunction with the piles, can take the place of the embankment foundation slab. These grids are placed in a single layer within a granular raft, immediately in contact with the pile caps.

The grids, with a design that lives in excess of 120 years, working in conjunction with the soils, absorb the forces transmitted from the embankment above, transferring them vertically into the supporting piles. The presence of the Paralink® enhances the overall piled embankment performance; the result is that the piles can be spaced wider apart, reducing costs.

 

Uses of MacTex. For less onerous or short-term conditions, MacTex® W woven polyester reinforcing geotextiles can be considered. We have implemented many piled embankment projects around the world making us a true leader in this application.

 

Tailor-made solutions. Using Maccaferri specific design software, MacBARS, and the capability to customize products within our factories (roll length, width, specific unit strength), we can optimize designs for our clients providing best value solutions.

PRODUCTS WE SUPPLY

Drainage Composites

Drainage Composites are made up by associating , during production, a draining core layer (it can be either a mat, a net or a moulded element) between two layers of geotextiles. The composite is capable of providing either filtering, separation and, sometimes, also other functions such as protection. Even with the multiple uses the main purpose is the drainage one, for this reason, the long term draining performances of the composite must be well known (compressive creep flowarate variations, filter efficency etc.).

Monoaxial Geogrids

Geogrids are used mostly for reinforcement purposes considering their peculiar structure is able to provide the necessary strength to reinforce the filling material and their capacity to confine the soil partciles that lodge in the openings of the grid itself. Monoaxial type are characterized by having a main tensile strength, normally in the MD direction, where the CMD performances are minimized to minimum as requested by the manufacturing geogrid technology.