Differential Movement at the Embankment/Structure Interface: Mitigation and Rehabilitation: Final Project Report

Settlement of roadway pavement surfaces near highway bridge abutments often lead to abrupt grade differences at the abutments. These grade differences subject vehicles to a bump, which leads to driver discomfort and potentially unsafe driving conditions. In addition, differential movement causes vehicle wear, damages sensitive cargo, subjects the bridge to repeated impact loads, and requires costly and repeated maintenance work that usually impedes the flow of traffic. The objectives of the research described in this report were to: (1) review methods for reducing long-term deformations at the approach embankment/bridge interface and rehabilitating differential deformations, (2) quantify the magnitude of differential settlement/heave problems at the approach embankment/bridge interface in Illinois, (3) determine the factors that lead to differential movement at the approach embankment/bridge interface in Illinois, (4) review current Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) procedures for mitigating differential settlement, (5) review current IDOT maintenance/rehabilitation methods for the approach embankment/bridge interface, and (6) provide recommendations for reducing long-term deformations at the approach embankment/bridge interface in Illinois.