Geosynthetic Reinforcement for the Protection of Buried Pipes beneath Pavements

Traffic loading can produce a semi shock on the trench involved with pipe and tent to damage the lifelines buried in the soil and also permanent settlements may happen. This study describes the construction and testing of 13 trenches containing buried uPVC pipes as typically installed beneath roads for drainage purposes. Both surface settlement of the trench top and deflection of the pipe at the trench base were monitored. Many of the installations were reinforced at the top with a geosynthetic reinforcement to evaluate their potential in limiting deflection of the trench surface and of limiting the compression of the pipe in the trench. The planar reinforcement was the best material tested as far as surface settlement was considered. However, its ability to protect the pipe from straining wasn’t so well developed under repeated loading, even though it worked well under initial loading. Geocells also had potential but it was more demanding as regards compaction installation.

Keywords:

Buried pipe , Settlement , Plate loading test , Repeated loading , Geosynthetic