These clayey foundations, often plastic, do not provide sufficient support for excessive loads like roadbeds and require costly reinforcement such as the use of berms to reduce slopes, the construction of vertical drains, or the use of light materials. The objective of the present study is to evaluate a second method, that of consolidation by vacuum treatment and heating. The method consists in applying to the surface a load equivalent to atmospheric pressure and creating a vacuum beneath an impermeable membrane.
Heating increases the speed and degree of consolidation.
A number of instruments were installed to monitor the soil's behaviour and subsurface water conditions throughout construction. The entire system was thermally insulated. The increase in the soil's resistance to degradation will be verified at the end of the project. This page is also available in 97 for Windows format.