Abstract:Geosynthetics is employed to support embankment over locally weak foundation so as to improve the bearing capacity of foundation and reduce the differential settlement of embankment, which can be implemented easily at a lower cost. The load transfer mechanism and the deformation behavior of reinforced embankment are quite complex and no code can be referred to on this aspect. Finite element analysis with updated mesh technology, namely ALE, is used to study the load transfer mechanism and deformation behavior of the reinforced embankment over locally weak foundation. The research focuses on the maximum differential settlement of the top and base of the embankment, maximum tensile stress, efficacy of load transfer of center of the embankment, etc. The study shows that the load of reinforced embankment on the locally weak foundation can be reduced effectively due to the coupling effect of the soil arching within the embankment fill and membrane effect of the geosynthetics. The thickness of reinforced embankment and the width of locally weak foundation are parameters to which soil arching are more sensitive, while the others including the compression coefficient of the soft soil , the axial stiffness of the geosynthetics and the depth of the weak foundation have a slight influence on arching effect. The locally weak foundation and the geosynthetic sheet have a complementary reaction to maintain the embankment, but most of design rules do not take this reaction into account to oversize the structure.