A column-supporting system for embankments on soft soils is analyzed using the Finite Element Method. The numerical problem has boundary conditions similar to that of a trap-door, but, contrary to the classical trap-door studies, the focus in this paper is on the load transfer to the supporting columns measured by the system efficacy, and on the critical embankment height that prevents differential settlements on the embankment surface. The stress state simulated in the embankment rapidly evolves in the first stages of the soft soil settlement, measured by millimeters, but the changes to the elastic–plastic stress field developed are marginal in the subsequent stages of settlement simulated up to 10 cm. The displacement field in low embankments with a height comparable to the column spacing is dominated by the failure mechanism with shear bands reaching the embankment crown, causing differential settlements on the embankment surface. In higher embankments, the failure mechanism is confined to the lower portion of the fill, and no differential settlements were detected on the embankment surface. It was suggested that a hypothetical diffused soil arch formed above the failure mechanism, with a shape approximately following the principal stress trajectories. This conjecture was made based on the presence of elevated stress along the symmetry plane of the embankment-column periodic cell. Numbers related to system efficacy and critical height are reported for a limited set of model parameters, but the qualitative outcome of the study is likely applicable to a wider variety of embankments.

使用有限元方法分析了软土路堤的柱支撑系统。数值问题具有类似于活板门的边界条件，但是与经典活板门研究相反，本文的重点是通过系统效能测量的载荷传递到支撑柱上，以及关键路堤高度，可防止路堤表面出现差异沉降。路堤上模拟的应力状态在软土沉降的第一阶段以毫米为单位迅速发展，但是在随后的模拟到10厘米的沉降阶段，所产生的弹塑性应力场的变化很小。在低路堤中具有与柱间距相当的高度的位移场受破坏机制的支配，剪切带达到路堤顶部，从而在路堤表面产生不同的沉降。在较高的路堤中，破坏机制仅限于填土的下部​​，并且在路堤表面未检测到差异沉降。有人提出一个假设破坏机理上方形成了分散的土拱，其形状近似遵循主应力轨迹。该推测是基于沿路堤-柱状周期单元对称平面的应力升高而做出的。对于有限的一组模型参数，报告了与系统功效和临界高度相关的数字，但该研究的定性结果可能适用于更广泛的路堤。