Special Topic Pile Supported Embankment

Department of Civil Engineering, University Putra Malaysia, Malaysia 

The design of a pile system for an embankment is similar in principle to the foundation design to support other structures. The pile foundation is needed under sections where settlements are to be kept to rninimum, such as adjacent to a road culvert, overhead bridge or bridge for a river crossing. In these cases, the piles are usually driven to set. 

For pile embankment construction, usually driven piles are used. Lateral displacement and large deformation will occur in the subsoil especially if the soil is very sensitive. As this may cause problems of instability in nearby structures, precautions need to be taken. The technique of pile embankment has been successfully used in Malaysia especially for construction of high road embankments on soft soils such as alluvial and marine clays, and peat. 

An illustration is given of the design of a concrete deck or piled raft of a 2.5 m high embankment 

0 m design total fill — thickness with 3.0 m thick berms 

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