Full scale test embankment on soft Bangkok clay with Tenax geogrid reinforcement

A full scale and fully instrumented test embankment was built to 6 m high with Tenax TT 201 SAMP geogrid reinforcements using weathered Bangkok clay as fill soil. The performance evaluation of the full scale test embankment covers the period of nine months since the beginning of construction. Presently, the test embankment is stable despite large lateral deformation and settlements. The latest monitored value indicated maximum lateral ground movement at 3 to 4 m depth and surface settlement at the center of embankment to be 160 mm and 750 mm, respectively. The grid reinforcement was found to be loaded with 2.3 kN/m corresponding to 4.2% of the ultimate load of 55 kN/m. In addition, the location of the failure plane or the maximum tension line, neither follow the Coulomb/Rankine line of the Tie Back Wedge Method or the bilinear failure plane as proposed by Coherent Gravity Method. Compared to the previous performance of other reinforced embankment, the polymer Tenax TT 201 SAMP geogrid can be a viable reinforcement material even for poor quality fill.