Proposal embankment stability Geocentrifuge test

The Road and Hydraulic Engineering Division (DWW) of the Dutch Public Works and Water Management Department (Rijkswaterstaat) has initiated a research program in which the stability of embankments built on soft soils will be investigated in relation to the safety factor during construction. The program concerns several model tests in the geocentrifuge of Delft Geotechnics. The size of a possible prototype and model are presented taking into account the available size of the model container, the acceleration level, the soil parameters, the instrumentation and the needed accuracy. Supporting investigations necessary for the performance of the test are discussed. A suggestion is made related to the elaboration / evaluation of the test and validation of calculation models. The whole project is suggested to be divided into 4 phases, a preparation phase, a performance phase, an elaboration / evaluation phase, and a validation phase. The activities involved in each phase are summarized. At the end of each phase it must be verified, whether the following phase should be adjusted.