PROTOTYPE EXPERIMENT ON ASPHALT GROUTED PLACED BLOCK REVETMENT

In the Netherlands many placed block revetments have been strengthened by pouring asphalt grouting in the cracks between the blocks. This ensures that the revetment is less susceptible to wave attack. However, because the top layer has become relatively impermeable, the construction may well be susceptible to upward water pressures that build up in the filter layer beneath the top layer. To gain more insight into the physical processes and to be able to improve on the current conservative stability rules an infiltration test was performed on an existing asphalt grouted placed block revetment. This paper deals with the preparations for this test, the observed phenomena during the test and its significance for the engineering practice.