| Settlement and heave related movements of bridge approach slabs relative to bridge decks create a bump in the roadway causing inconvenience to the travelling public and at times so large as to make travelling unsafe. Hence, it is important to adopt suitable remedial methods to mitigate the approach settlements so as to ensure safe traveling conditions and also to decrease the repair/maintenance costs. This thesis presents an overview of a few case studies on different mitigation techniques applied on bridge approach settlement problems at various locations in the state of Texas. The methods employed to mitigate the settlement including Polyurethane injection, soil nailing, and potential utilization of Geofoam and flowable fill are discussed. Also, the development of design charts for the construction of light weight fill embankments using Expanded Clay and Shale (ECS) aggregate material is presented. Methods on how to use the design charts for various embankments are also covered. |
