Design and practice of settlement-reducing embankment piles for soft ground treatment under large-area surface heaped load

A new technique called settlement reducing embankment piles for the soft ground treatment under large-area surface heaped load is introduced based on the experience acquired from two kinds of engineering practice. One is the traditional embankment piles extensively used for road embankments in soft soil regions like Sweden, Finland and others in northern Europe since the 1970s, and the other is the settlement-controlled composite pile foundation used in great quantities for multistoried buildings in soft soil regions like Shanghai and other cities in China since the 1980s. Firstly, the general outline, loading and working behaviors of the settlement reducing embankment piles are given. Secondly, the major design procedures and methods for the settlement reducing embankment piles are proposed. Finally, the case history of the ground treatment using the settlement reducing embankment piles for the racing course of Shanghai International Circuit is reported.