Reduction of Vertical Earth Pressure on Buried Pipes by EPS Blocks H. B. Kim Assistant Researcher, Inst. of Construction Technology, Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction.
[email protected] J. M. Kim Senior Researcher, Dept. of Geotechnical Engrg, Korea Institute of Construction Technology.
[email protected] S. D. Cho Research Fellow, Dept. of Geotechnical Engrg, Korea Institute of Construction Technology.
[email protected] T. S. Joo Senior Researcher, Inst. of Construction Technology, Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction.
[email protected] B. H. Choi Researcher, Dept. of Geotechnical Engrg, Korea Institute of Construction Technology.
[email protected] S. Y. Oh Researcher, Dept. of Geotechnical Engrg, Korea Institute of Construction Technology.
[email protected] ABSTRACT: This Paper presents experimental data of vertical earth pressure, which is reduced by the compressible inclusion function of EPS blocks placed to the top of a pipe. Previously, Spangler & Handy (1982), Vaslestad(1994), Horvath(1996) and Yuichi. et al.(1996) showed that the insertion of one layer of EPS block was applicable to compressible materials and reduced vertical earth pressure over pipes. In this study, A series of instrumented model indicated that the section which was applied to EPS block was a significant decrease as compared with the section which was not applied to EPS block. Also, a field tests in three conditions concluded that double layers of EPS blocks as well as single layer of EPS block could be effective system for reduction of earth pressure. 1 INTRODUCTION Pipes are generally used in construction projects in the form of sewers, gas lines, water mains, underpasses, conduits, etc.