Latest revision as of 10:43, 29 October 2025

Abstract

The traditional loading berm is effective in reinforcing soft-soil foundation embankments, however, it is found that its large footprint limits its application in some narrow construction sites in recent years. Therefore, to address this limitation, the trapezoidal embedded loading berm (TELB) has been introduced, and its feasibility was examined in this paper. Firstly, an analytical model was developed to investigate the mechanical behavior of the TELB. Then, a numerical approach was employed to assess the TELB’s efficacy in enhancing the stability of soft-soil foundation embankments. The study elucidates the impact of various TELB parameters— such as slope angle, lower edge width, height, density, internal friction angle, and cohesion—on the embankment stability coefficient. Finally, an orthogonal test was conducted to evaluate the sensitivity of each parameter concerning embankment stability. The results demonstrate that the TELB substantially improves the stability of soft-soil foundation embankments, with stability coefficients increasing as the geometric and physicalmechanical parameters of the loading berm are enhanced. Among the parameters, height and density exert a more pronounced effect on the stability coefficient compared to cohesion and internal friction angle. This research provides valuable insights for the design and construction of TELBs and contributes to mitigating the environmental impact of road construction in soft soil regions.OPEN ACCESS Received: 23/03/2025 Accepted: 10/06/2025 Published: 27/10/2025

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