Determinación del efecto de la rigidización de suelos blandos en los asentamientos de terraplenes viales mediante métodos clásicos de la mecánica de suelos

Abstract

This research addresses the behavior of soft soils used as support for road embankments, which present high compressibility and low capacity to withstand loads without developing significant deformations. This condition can generate settlements over prolonged periods and affect the performance and service life of road structures. In this context, the study analyzes the influence of different surface soil improvement techniques on the geotechnical behavior of soft soils, considering the changes that these techniques can produce in their consolidation and deformation properties. The research includes a review of the fundamental concepts related to soft soils, the consolidation process, and the main surface improvement techniques used in geotechnical engineering. Subsequently, a mathematical model based on Terzaghi's one-dimensional consolidation theory is established to represent soil behavior under the application of a load corresponding to a road embankment. The model is implemented in MATLAB to analyze the evolution of excess pore water pressure, degree of consolidation, and settlement over time. A parametric analysis is conducted using different scenarios representing natural and improved soil conditions, mainly modifying the coefficient of consolidation Cv and the coefficient of volumetric compressibility mv. In this way, the research evaluates the influence of these parameters and determines how soil improvement strategies can modify the response of soft soils under embankment loading. The results indicate that the combined modification of soil deformability and consolidation properties produces a more favorable ground response.