Mine Haul Road Stabilization on Saturated Clay Subgrade

Cellular Confinement Systems for Subgrade Stabilization

Mine Haul Road Stabilization on Saturated Clay Subgrade

1. Project Overview

Open-pit mine permanent haul road in tropical area. The subgrade consists of saturated clay; heavy-duty dump trucks up to 265 tons travel frequently. Original dirt roads suffered severe rutting, mud pumping and frequent maintenance during rainy seasons. Long-distance transportation of high-quality aggregate brings high cost.

2. Engineering Challenges

Clay soil softens under rainfall; repeated heavy dynamic loads cause large deformation; limited budget for imported high-grade fill aggregate.

3. Selected CCS Specification

HDPE textured non-perforated CCS; height 200 mm; sheet thickness 1.6 mm; welding spacing 380 mm.

4. Key Construction Points

- Remove soft mud, level and compact subgrade; lay non-woven geotextile.

- Unfold CCS, tension and anchor densely; adopt interlock connection for adjacent panels.

- Fill local river sand and crushed rock, layered compaction; control filling height not exceeding cell height.

Implementation Results

✅ 3D lateral confinement improves subgrade bearing capacity by 2.8 times.

✅ Local materials can be reused as infill; aggregate transportation cost decreased by 65%.

✅ No obvious rutting after years of heavy vehicle operation; maintenance frequency reduced by 75%.