Issue 78

S. Majer et alii, Fracture and Structural Integrity, 78 (2026) 504-518; DOI: 10.3221/IGF-ESIS.78.29

were addressed in practice. Particular attention is given to the influence of heavy-duty operational equipment, subsoil characteristics, and numerical analyses used to verify pavement performance and settlement criteria.

I NTEGRATED DESIGN WORKFLOW

T

he pavement design approach adopted for the analysed port facilities was based on an integrated assessment of operational loading and geotechnical conditions. The design process was not limited to the verification of pavement structural capacity, but also included an assessment of subsoil behaviour and settlement under the governing loading scenarios. The general workflow applied to the analysed cases is presented in Fig. 1.

Figure 1: Integrated workflow for the design of port pavements under extreme operational loads.

The first stage consisted of a geotechnical investigation aimed at identifying the soil profile, engineering properties of individual layers, groundwater conditions, and the presence of weak or organic soils. The obtained geotechnical information was then used to assess the bearing capacity and deformation characteristics of the subsoil and to identify areas requiring ground improvement. In parallel, the operational loading conditions were defined based on the equipment and cargo expected to operate or be stored at the facility. These included wheel loads from cargo-handling equipment and RTG cranes, concentrated loads from oversized cargo handling, and static loads associated with the storage of offshore wind turbine components. The governing load cases were selected considering both the magnitude and the manner in which the loads were transferred to the pavement. Based on the combination of geotechnical conditions and operational requirements, an appropriate pavement concept was selected. Depending on the specific site conditions and operational requirements, reinforced concrete slab pavements or geosynthetic-reinforced aggregate pavements were considered. The selected pavement structures were subsequently verified with respect to their structural response under the governing operational loads. The structural assessment was complemented by an evaluation of total and differential settlements. Where weak or highly compressible soils were present, numerical analyses were used to assess the subsoil response to the applied loads and to evaluate whether the predicted deformation was compatible with the intended operation of the facility. Ground improvement measures were incorporated where required by the geotechnical conditions and settlement assessment. The final design solution was accepted when the structural requirements of the pavement and the applicable settlement and serviceability criteria were satisfied. Where the calculated response did not meet the required criteria, the pavement structure, ground improvement solution, or both were modified and the relevant analyses were repeated. This iterative approach allowed the pavement structure and subsoil treatment to be adapted to the specific combination of operational loading and geotechnical conditions at each site.

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