Highway Subgrade Workaround: Surveys, Assessments and Practical Implications

Authors

  • Xin Jiang "School of Civil Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China", "Highway Engineering Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China" & "MOE Key Laboratory of High-Speed Railway Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China" Author
  • Huang Xinya "School of Civil Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China", "Highway Engineering Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China" & "MOE Key Laboratory of High-Speed Railway Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China" Author
  • Yang Xue "School of Civil Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China", "Highway Engineering Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China" & "MOE Key Laboratory of High-Speed Railway Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China" Author
  • Hongpo Liu "School of Civil Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China", "Highway Engineering Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China" & "MOE Key Laboratory of High-Speed Railway Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China" Author
  • Yanjun Qiu School of Smart City and Transportation, Tarim Institute of Technology, Alaer 843399, China Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.65904/3083-3590.2026.02.07

Keywords:

Subgrade workaround, Elastic layered system theory, Stress ratio, GAMES program, WorkAround program

Abstract

The definition and determination method of the highway subgrade workaround remain insufficiently clear and explicit. Therefore, this paper summarizes the current mainstream determination methods, and analyses and compares their characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages. Based on the method specified in the current highway subgrade design specification, and combined with the elastic layered system theory computer program GAMES, the distribution of vertical additional stress, self-weight stress, and stress ratio along the axle-direction profile under loading is presented. The WorkAround program is introduced to discuss the influence laws of multiple factors on the subgrade workaround. It is concluded that pavement modulus, pavement unit weight, subgrade unit weight, and pavement thickness are negatively correlated with the subgrade workaround, while subgrade modulus and axle load are positively correlated with the subgrade workaround. Combined with orthogonal experimental design, the influence degrees of these factors on the subgrade workaround are revealed, leading to the conclusion that the order of influence is: pavement thickness > axle load > subgrade modulus > pavement modulus > subgrade unit weight > pavement unit weight.

References

[1] CCCC Second Highway Consultants Co., Ltd. JTG D30-2015 Specifications for design of highway subgrades [S]. Beijing: China Communications Press Co., Ltd. 2015.

[2] Yu XJ, Long HJ. A study on influencing factors of subgrade workaround [J]. Highway 2012(9): 33-37.

[3] Li X H, Hu J M, Shi D J, et al. Calculation and analysis of the depth of rock-soil filled subgrade working area in highway [J]. Subgrade Engineering 2018(2): 42-46.

[4] Fang ZY. Subgrade engineering[M]. Beijing: China Communications Press 1987.

[5] Second Highway Survey and Design Institute of the Ministry of Transport. Highway design manual: subgrade [M]. 2nd ed. Beijing: China Communications Press 1996.

[6] Huang XM. Subgrade and pavement engineering[M]. 8th ed. Beijing: China Communications Press Co., Ltd. 2025.

[7] Zhou ZF, Miao LW, Sun C. Analysis of subgrade influence depth and its influencing factors based on strain [J]. Journal of Wuhan University of Technology (Transportation Science & Engineering) 2016; 40(1): 41-44.

[8] Lu Z, Wang CB, Fu JJ, et al. Research on influence depth of road subgrade induced by vehicle loads [J]. Rock and Soil Mechanics 2013; 34(2): 317-322.

[9] Song Y, Wei LY, Feng L. Research on subgrade workaround depth of semi-rigid pavement under dynamic vehicle load[J]. Journal of China and Foreign Highway 2015; 35(6): 47-52.

[10] Yan SJ, Liu JH, Yang ZZ, et al. Research on subgrade workaround depth of asphalt pavement[J]. Journal of China and Foreign Highway 2018; 38(5): 14-18.

[11] Huang QL, Ling JM. Methodology study on defining subgrade’s working area [J]. Journal of Tongji University (Natural Science) 2011; 39(4): 551-555.

[12] Zhao GS. Study on the depth of subgrade work area of grade road under excess traffic load [D]. Jinan: Shandong University 2009.

[13] Zhu HB, Jia ZX, Zhang HB, et al. Discussion of the definition of subgrade workspace under heavy traffic [J]. Journal of Highway and Transportation Research and Development 2009; 26(1): 39-44.

[14] Tong SJ, Cai JJ, Xin Q, et al. Research on workspace depth of roadbed with consideration of pavement structure [J]. Highway 2012(10): 24-27.

[15] Li C, Guan SF. Establishment of the depth of subgrade working area in asphalt pavement [J]. Journal of Transport Science and Engineering 2011; 27(2): 11-15.

[16] Li L. Computational analysis on depth of subgrade working area and the application [J]. Subgrade Engineering 2015(6): 140-143.

[17] Huang YH. Pavement analysis and design[M]. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall 2003.

Downloads

Published

2026-08-31

Issue

Vol. 2 (2026)

Section

Articles