Geocell application in reinforcing soft subgrade of railway

In order to reinforce the soft subgrade of railway effectually, guarantee train safety, the engineering mechanism of railway subgrade reinforced by geocell was analyzed by using Marc program, a full-scale load-bearing test of soft subgrade reinforced by 4 types of geocells was carried out, by using flat load-test method. The different types of geocells are 34 cm×10 cm, (40 cm)×10 cm, 34 cm×15 cm and 40 cm×15 cm. The subgrade disease in the site of K241+(450~)550 of Yang'an railway was treated by using geocell. The result shows that geocell can restrict the lateral replacement and diffuse stress of railway subgrade effectively, its maximum lateral replacement is decreased by 17%, its maximum vertical stress is decreased by 9.3%, its stress is well-distributed by using geocell, its bearing capacity can reach more than 180 kPa, the cost of reinforced subgrade by using geocell is decreased by 9.3%. On-the-spot observation in 6 a shows that its maximum settlement is 28 mm, its minimum settlement is 13 mm. This engineering practice proved that the method of using geocell to reinforcing railway subgrade is effective.