Project Overview

Glavel was used as a lightweight, structural fill underneath a roadway in West Rutland, Vermont to reduce strain and load above a steep embankment.

Design Challenges

The steep embankment below the roadway had collapsed due to the weight of the stone aggregate base. To repair the road and embankment would require a lightweight fill that raises the grade at the top of a slope with high compressive strength and drainage. The embankment was supported by buttresses, whose carrying capacity at the steep angle was exceeded by the weight of traditional stone aggregate. Project managers were looking for a long-term solution to the problem to protect the natural environment from further erosion and damage.

Glavel as a Solution

Glavel was suitable for the project due to it weighing 9.8 pounds per cubic foot. 8 feet of compacted Glavel was used to raise the grade to the level of the existing roadway without placing undue weight strain on the embankment.  Once compacted it was capable of supporting a roadbed, while maintaining drainage and supporting the buttresses.