ABSTRACT
At the site of SBIA, the low strength and high compressibility of the soft clay layer are themajor concerns for the design and construction. The strength characteristics of the soils can be used to determine the stability of the embankments. The compressibility and hydraulic characteristics are, on the other hand, relevant to the magnitudes and rates of the settlement. This paper describes how the strengths and deformability of the soft clays are characterized. The subsoil and groundwater conditions are first introduced. The stress history, strengths, compressibility, and timedependent deformability of the soils are then provided based on a series of field and laboratory test results. The strength and deformation parameters characterized from the test results are applied to the design of ground improvement. The effectiveness of ground improvement using preloading with PVD is evaluated by studying the deformation and settlement of a series of test embankments and the changes of soil properties as well.
