Solving the Problems of Differential

Settlement of Pavement Structures

in the Bangkok Area
Titi Paveenchana and Manoon Arayasiri

1 Principal Geotechnical Engineer, Seven Engineering Consultants Co., Ltd., Thailand

tpaveenchana@yahoo.com, mail@sevenconsultants.com
2 Principal Geotechnical Engineer, Thai Engineering Consultants Co., Ltd., Thailand
arayasiri_m@yahoo.com, tec@tec.co.th

Presented by
Md Tauhidul Islam(1001665127)
Md Aminul Islam (1001506287)
Mandakini Chowdhury (1001583779)
 PRESENTATION OUTLINE

▪ Background

▪ Problem Statement

▪ Adopted Solutions

▪ Conclusion
Background
 Background

▪ Bangkok Area – underlain by soft

compressible clay (12-16m deep)
▪ Pavement settlement – 500-1000
mm in 10 years!
▪ Significant settlement and stability
problems
▪ Specially critical for joint between
bridge approach and bridge
structure
Reference: Causes of Bumps at Pavement-Bridge Interface;
Presentation by AKM Anwarul Islam and Amar Shukla, Youngstown State
University
Background (Continued)

Sand Lenses
 Problem Statement

Objectives: Safe Sight Distance, cross slope and smooth

transition between pavements and structures.
 Objectives

• Secure an adequate design life of embankment

• Ensure a safe vertical curve by alleviating settlement

• Keep a safe cross-slope of embankment

• Assurance of smooth transition between pavements on ground and

structures
 Adopted solutions

• Use light weight embankment materials

• Concrete bearing units on precast piles

• Soil-cement columns

• Preloading

• Preloading with prefabricated vertical drains (PVD)

 Solution 1 - For Embankment Stability
(Light weight embankment material)

Lightweight (Ɣ ≈ 12 kPa)
 Solution 1 - For Embankment Stability
(Light weight embankment material)

Lightweight (Ɣ = 12 kPa)
 Solution 2 - For Bridge Approach
(Concrete bearing units on precast piles)

o Transfer surface loads to greater depths

o Reduce significant amount of settlement
o Make stable embankment
 Solution 2 - For Bridge Approach
(Concrete bearing units on precast piles)
 Solution 3 – Soil Cement Columns

Soil mixing with cement

slurry or dry cement powder

Reduce total settlement

(10-20mm only after using
soil cement columns)
Solution 4 – Pre-loading with PVD
 Solution 4 – Preloading with PVD (Subarnabhumi
Airport)

▪ Design Criteria : 5 mm/month

▪ 325 – 450 days to achieve
▪ In practice, pre-load removed
at 180 days (1 mm/day).
▪ Factor of safety – 1.2
 Conclusions

▪ PVD and Soil-cement columns more popular in last decade.

▪ Choice of solution depends on cost and resources available.

▪ Reviewed industry practices in Bangkok area on case-by-

case basis.

▪ No ingenious research finding.

Conclusions
Thank You!
QUESTIONS