The design and construction of a highway embankment over deposits of peat and muck is difficult due to low shear strengths, high compressibilities and excessive amounts of creep associated with these soil types. Large deposits of peat and muck are located within the northern part of the State of Indiana. The two major problems associated with these soil types are shear failure and compressibility. Total settlements, differential settlements and shear failure all occur over a long time which compounds the problems. Due to low shear strengths, shear failures occur very easily either during or after construction. The corrections to these problems are both expensive and time consuming.
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