Bearing Capacity of Reinforced Embankment Slope Models of Fly Ash and Furnace Slag

This paper presents the strength evaluation of geogrid and rubbergrid reinforced embankment slope made of two different pozzolanic waste materials (fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag). The strength of the embankment slopes was studied in terms of bearing capacity response of a strip footing placed on the top of the slopes, through small-scale model tests in a laboratory. The tests were conducted by varying the parameters such as location and embedment depth of a layer of the reinforcement considered in the study and also location of footing relative to the slope crest and slope angles. Based on the critical slope angle and optimum embedment depth of the reinforcement obtained from investigation on geogrid reinforced fly ash slope, the study was carried out for fly ash embankment slope reinforced with rubbergrid and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) embankment slope reinforced with geogrid as well as rubbergrid. The results obtained from the experimental investigation are presented in terms of bearing capacity improvement ratio, and they, further, indicate that several parameters studied have an important effect on the strength of the embankment slopes. The improvement in ultimate bearing capacity of the footing resting on the top of the either slope is observed with the presence of reinforcement. The rubbergrid is found to perform better than the geogrid. The study reiterates the utilization of the pozzolanic waste materials like fly ash (FA) and GGBFS as a fill material in embankment and discarded tyres as a reinforcing material in the most effective manner.