A problem, which is rather common in the fields of geotechnical and highway engineering, arises when road embankments of moderate to large heights are to be constructed on very soft soils with low shear strength and high compressibility in the shortest possible time. But, owing to the low shear strength of the subgrade (foundation) soil, the full height of the embankment cannot be built at a time and the so-called staged construction has to be resorted to. To implement such a phased construction it is required to carry out an
analysis to determine beforehand the sequence of construction to be followed in a given situation such that the embankment can be constructed as quickly as possible while ensuring a reasonable margin of safety.