Importance of full scale tests for the design of levees

This paper illustrates a case history, based on full-scale tests (trial embankment). More specifically, the settlements of a full-scale trial embankment on a very compressible soil (organic clay) for a period of 5 years are reported. The observed settlements are compared with those obtained from an A type prediction, as well as a B type prediction. The analysis results suggest the importance of an appropriate modelling of secondary settlements of organic soils. The difficulties in obtaining good quality undisturbed samples of organic clay and the peculiar creep behaviour point out the importance of full-scale tests.