Keywords: computation model, geogrid, lime-cement columns, embankment, subsoil, bearing capacity, deformation, equivalent (von Misses) stress.

This paper describes numerical analysis, using the programme ANSYS, for the generation of the computation model and the assessment of the influence of the geosynthetic grid and the vertical lime-cement columns on the bearing capacity and the deformation of a railway embankment on a low load-bearing subsoil. The stiffening grid is located on the interface between the embankment and the subsoil. The subsoil is also reinforced by the vertical lime-cement columns. There reinforcing effect on the behaviour of the soil construction is analysed with different types of reinforcement layers. The results of the computational modelling show that the reinforcement of the railway embankment has a favourable effect on the bearing capacity of the subgrade. The graphic outputs give a clear overview of the field layout of the equivalent stresses and the deformation during the construction of the railway substructure. A comparative analysis shows that the reinforcement of the embankment, especially the columns is important mainly for poor soils in the railway embankment, i.e. for soils with poorer material characteristics and low bearing capacity.

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