Utilization of Expanded Polystyrene for Embankments Founded on Compressible Soils in The Pk8+650 And Pk10+500 Points of The Tangier-Tangier Med Port Highway's Third Section

Abstract

This research introduces EPS substitution of embankment soil to the Moroccan context, and the highly compressible soils of the Tangier-Tangier Med port highway’s third section. Compressible soils are a major hindrance when it comes to construction of medium to high embankments, proving to be the source of major instability and inefficient exploitation of Morocco’s transport networks, especially when taking into consideration the lack of options for stabilizing such structures. this study will focus on computing safety factors related to landslide rupture for several expanded polystyrene substitution heights for two different embankments in each point of the aforementioned highway section, and compare said factors to the classical solution of soil treatment by ballasted columns that is mostly adopted in Morocco for similar soil constraints. Results yielded proved very promising for future uses of the newly introduced approach in the country’s problematic soils and promises closer deadlines as well as fewer maintenance and reinforcement efforts.