Study on Deformation Characteristics of Low-Highway Subgrade under Traffic Load

Abstract

Highway subgrade bears millions of traffic loads over the years, and its strength, stiffness, and long-term stability gradually decline. In this paper, dynamic triaxial tests were carried out to study the time evolution and spatial distribution of strain and pore pressure of highway-subgrade soil under the action of traffic load. The influence of traffic load on subgrade deformation was analyzed. Furthermore, a numerical-calculation model of the subgrade was established. The deformation characteristics of subgrade under driving load were analyzed. The main conclusions can be drawn as follows: (1) With the increase in loading times, the cumulative strain and pore pressure can be roughly divided into three stages: rapid-growth stage, slow-growth stage, and equilibrium stage. (2) The influence of traffic load on the cumulative strain and pore-water pressure of subgrade soil decreases rapidly with the increase in depth. (3) The amplitude of traffic load has a tremendous influence on the strain and pore pressure of subgrade soil, especially for shallow subgrade. (4) As the distance from the subgrade surface increases, the maximum deformation appears at the edge of the subgrade.