STABILIZATION MEASURES

Stabilization or mitigation methods are selected to address the most probable mechanism of failure, but ultimately site conditions, funding, and constructibility issues determine the final solution. A wide array of technologies and techniques are employed in stabilization projects as follows (FHWA, 1994):

Unloading: reducing the weight driving (i.e. excavation / light weight fill).

Toe Loading: additional force resisting (i.e. buttressing, berms).

Drainage: reduction in seepage force (i.e. surface / subsurface). Reinforcement: mechanisms that intersect the surface plane and transfer the forces down or outward toward stable stratum (i.e. columns, geosynthetics). Retaining: holding back earth (i.e. walls).

Vegetation: help with erosion; water, and roots provide reinforcement. Slope Protection: helps water infiltration (i.e. shotcrete, riprap).

Soil Improvement: increasing in-situ soil properties by chemical, thermal, or mechanical means (compaction, grouting, lime, thermal treatment).

The plasma arc vitrification (PAV) technique can be viewed as a means of soil improvement by thermally creating improved strength soil columns. The in-situ material is transferred from soil into circular columns of igneous rock. The columns form reinforcement elements that resist soil movements and transfers loads to more stable underlying layers