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Zheng, L. Transportation Geotechnics. Encyclopedia. Available online: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/60499 (accessed on 05 October 2026).
Zheng L. Transportation Geotechnics. Encyclopedia. Available at: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/60499. Accessed October 05, 2026.
Zheng, Lionel. "Transportation Geotechnics" Encyclopedia, https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/60499 (accessed October 05, 2026).
Zheng, L. (2026, September 25). Transportation Geotechnics. In Encyclopedia. https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/60499
Zheng, Lionel. "Transportation Geotechnics." Encyclopedia. Web. 25 September, 2026.
Transportation Geotechnics
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Transportation geotechnics is the sub-discipline of geotechnical engineering concerned with the behavior of soils, rocks, and geomaterials that support transportation infrastructure such as highway pavements, railway embankments and trackbeds, airfield pavements, tunnels, bridge approach fills, and retaining structures along transportation corridors [1]. It addresses the performance of these structures under repeated cyclic loading from traffic—including the accumulation of permanent deformation in unbound granular layers and subgrades, the effect of moisture and seasonal climatic changes on subgrade strength and stiffness, and the design of rail ballast and capping layers that distribute axle loads from the sleeper to the subgrade without excessive differential settlement [2]. The field applies fundamental principles of soil mechanics, including stress-strain characterization under both static and repeated loading conditions, consolidation settlement, slope stability, seepage and groundwater flow, and frost heave, to the design of embankments, cuts, ground improvement, and foundation systems specific to transportation loading and geometric alignment constraints [3].

subgrade ballast cyclic loading permanent deformation pavement

References

  1. William Powrie. Soil Mechanics; Taylor & Francis: London, United Kingdom, 2018. [CrossRef]
  2. Budhu, M. Soil Mechanics and Foundations, 3rd ed.; John Wiley & Sons: New York, NY, USA, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-470-55684-9.
  3. Das, B.M. Geotechnical Engineering Handbook; J. Ross Publishing: Plantation, FL, USA, 2009.
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Subjects: Transportation
Contributor MDPI registered users' name will be linked to their SciProfiles pages. To register with us, please refer to https://encyclopedia.pub/register : Eng Editorial Office
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Entry Collection: Eng
Revision: 1 time (View History)
Update Date: 25 Sep 2026
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