ABSTRACT
In those pioneering times, standards in track gauge and geometry, and cutting and embankment profiles were developed empirically based upon observations made by engineers during construction. Observations of the behaviour of embankment materials aided the construction of earthworks well before the scientific fundamentals of soil mechanics were developed. Consequently, many earthworks, especially those constructed in Victorian times, should be regarded as unique if they are to be improved or upgraded. Such processes would require investigations into the condition of the existing earthworks to assess the materials and variability in the geotechnical properties,
and engineering performance along the proposed route.
