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Yes / Reinforced piled embankment technique is becoming increasingly utilised for the construction over soft grounds due to its efficiency on reducing potential settlement, speed of construction and associated cost. Most of previous studies focused on developing understanding for the behaviour of thick embankments that are loaded with a static surcharge load. Data for the behaviour of shallow piled embankments under cyclic loadings are scarce. In this study, an experimental programme was undertaken using a fully instrumented testing rig to generate data and improve our understanding for the behaviour of unreinforced and reinforced shallow piled embankments subject to monotonic and cyclic loadings that were applied over a predetermined area of the embankment. The experimental results showed that collapse of soil arching is imminent and occurs during the first few cycles of load. However, regain of strength and recovery of the arching effect was observable during further stages of cyclic loadings due to densification of the embankment material and deformation of the soft subsoil. Inclusion of reinforcement layers was found to enhance the performance of load transfer mechanisms by concentrating stresses on pile caps. The results clearly showed a significant reduction in surface settlement, soft subsoil settlement and heaving with increasing the number of reinforcement layers.

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Two commercial Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) wind resource assessment tools namely Meteodyn WT and Windsim have been compared for an embankment site named Hjardemål. For comparison of both software, a controlled experiment is carried out for a fixed set-up with same domain size and same number of cells in the X, Y and Z directions. Wind flow has been assessed in the perpendicular upstream direction to the embankment. Vertical wind profiles observed on site at four different towers distributed (-397.69 m) before, (0 m) at, (30.83 m) just after and (199.16 m) after the embankment are compared with both software outputs. Results show that Meteodyn WT predicts closer vertical wind profiles before, at and after whilst wind Windsim predicts a closer wind profile just after the embankment. The discussion of results is based on the limitations of both software tools which have conditioned the comparison.

A number of recently constructed bridge approach slabs using an articulation at mid span and the wide flange terminal anchorage system have experienced settlement at their expansion joints. This problem is more commonly referred to as the bump at the end of the bridge. This study investigated reasons for the bumps and recommended ways to improve the current situation. To find out possible causes of the bridge approach slab problem, literature review, questionnaire survey, and a visual inspection for 18 Houston sites were conducted. Based on the results, two bridge sites in Houston, Texas, were selected for detailed investigation. An extensive series of laboratory and field tests were performed at each site. The main causes of bump at two study sites were compression of embankment soil and natural soil, and poor compaction of embankment soil. The finite-element computer program ABAQUS was used to evaluate behavior of the current approach slab design and of a possibly more effective design. The results show that the transition zone is about 12 m with 80 percent of the maximum settlement

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