Abstract: Low embankment can save the irreproducible land resources. Shallow solidified soil layer is a scientific and economic ground improvement method of low embankment. In this paper, CPTU is applied to the in-situ test of Yangtze Rive floodplain. Based on the test result, consolidation and settlement of the soft ground was simulated with the case of designing shallow solidified soil layer and not designing shallow solidified soil layer under the load of embankment gravity and plain strain conditions. The state of embank and settlement under spacial automobile load are also analyzed by FLAC3D on designing shallow solidified soil layer or not. The results indicate that shallow solidified soil layer changed the stress distribution of the ground, and superimposed stress reduced through stress diffusion effect results in the reduction of the settlement. The study also indicates that the total embankment stiffness increased by the stiffness increase in shallow solidified soil layer, which reduces the vertical displacement of embankment and enhances the embankment stability.

Key words: CPTU, fast Lagrange method, low embankment, shallow solidified soil layer