Cellular Confinement Systems for Subgrade Stabilization — Standard Construction Procedure

Cellular Confinement Systems for Subgrade Stabilization — Standard Construction Procedure

1. Subgrade Preparation

- Clear the construction zone: remove weeds, mud, organic debris and loose topsoil.

- Level and compact the natural subsoil to meet specified compaction requirement.

- Inspect slope gradient, elevation and flatness; handle local soft spots by replacement or consolidation.

- Lay non-woven geotextile as separation layer to prevent intermixing of subsoil and upper aggregate. Overlap adjacent geotextile rolls by 15–20 cm.

2. Unfolding and Anchoring CCS

- Transport folded cellular confinement systems to position and unfold fully.

- Stretch the CCS tightly to reach the designed cell dimension and eliminate slack.

- Fix the panels with U-shaped steel anchor nails. Increase anchoring density at edges, joints and transition zones.

- Connect adjacent CCS modules with special locking fasteners as required.

- For highway expansion projects (old-new subgrade splicing), arrange CCS in transverse layout across the splicing interface.

3. Filling and Layered Compaction

- Fill graded crushed stone or aggregate into honeycomb cells. Do not exceed the height of the cell sheet.

- Fill evenly from the middle to both sides to avoid unilateral displacement of CCS panels.

- Compact fillers layer by layer using vibratory compaction equipment. Avoid heavy direct impact on welding seams.

- Check flatness and compaction degree after compaction. Supplement filling for partially empty cells.

4. Inspection and Supplementary Treatment

- Examine anchoring firmness, cell opening status and filling compactness.

- Repair local damaged sheets and reinforce loosely anchored positions.

- Remove excess scattered aggregate on the CCS surface.

5. Construction of Upper Pavement Structure

- After acceptance of the CCS composite cushion, construct the road base course and surface layer in sequence.

- Control rolling speed during upper-layer construction to prevent shifting of the CCS mattress.