ABSTRACT
The construction of a basal reinforced piled embankment usually proceeds as followed: The worksite is made accessible to the equipment to be used, Install piles or columns, Install pile caps or finish the pile or column caps, Apply granular fill and Place sand fill, road base and pavement structure, as required. The pile cap often consists of a square concrete slab with rounded edges on top and at the sides, and a recess in the bottom into which the pile fits. The piles are often end-bearing in a stratum with sufficient load bearing capacity. Vertical openings through the reinforcement layer should be avoided. If an opening is made through the reinforcement the span concerned will no longer function which may lead to: local settlement that demands frequent maintenance, horizontal loads on the piles not accounted for in the design and eccentric loads on the edges of the reinforced embankment.
