Surtees Bridge, which carries the A66(T) over the RiverudTees near Thornaby-on-Tees in the UK, has beenudshowing signs of distress that predate its opening inud1981. Subsequent investigations have shown that theudbridge distress is related to unexpectedly largeudsettlement of the eastern approach embankment.udRecent ground investigations prompted by a proposedudwidening of the river crossing have produced many newuddata on the alluvial deposits underlying the site, andudexplain why embankment settlement was so much largerudthan originally anticipated. Comparison of theudgeotechnical parameters obtained from the original andudmore recent ground investigations suggests that theudoriginal investigation significantly underestimated theudthickness of an alluvial clay layer underlying the site, andudthat its coefficient of consolidation was overestimated.udSettlement analyses using geotechnical data from theudoriginal ground investigations predict moderateudembankment settlements occurring principally duringudconstruction. Settlement analyses based on all theudavailable data predict far larger embankmentudsettlements occurring over extended time periods. Theudlatter analyses predict an embankment settlementudsimilar to that observed and of sufficient magnitude toudcause the observed lateral displacement of the bridgeuddue to lateral loading of its piled foundation.
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