Abstract:A centrifuge model test was made on an embankment with lime-stabilized soil as backfill on undisturbed soft soil,and an analysis was made of the in-flight photographs, displacements measured by displacement sensors installed on the surface of embankment and ground, and displacement contour lines obtained from the markers installed on the front face of the clay.The results show a vertical crack occurs to the embankment during its construction from the height of 2~4 m due to differential displacement of subsoil. The ratio of the maximum lateral displacement increment in the subsoil to the ground settlement increment at the embankment center changes significantly during the loading stage of the height of 4~6 m in prototype, indicating the subsoil tends to fail. This finding is consistent with the observations of the centrifuge test and the computation result from Terzaghi’s bearing capacity theory using undrained shear strength. In view of the brittle behavior and low tensile strength of embankment with lime-stabilized soil, low embankment of the height lower than 2 m is recommended for practical projects.Reinforcement in the embankment is also recommended for improving the integrity and tensile strength and reduce the differential displacement of subsoil as well.