Advances in Civil Engineering and Building Materials Chang, Al Bahar & Zhao (Eds)

2013 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-0-415-64342-9

Prediction of CBR from index properties of cohesive soils

Magdi Zumrawi
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan

ABSTRACT: Prediction of CBR is quite important in pavement design. This paper presents and analyses the
results of a laboratory investigation to measure the CBR in soaking and unsoaking conditions. Several tests
to measure the CBR were performed for three different cohesive soils compacted at different water contents
and dry densities. Analysis of the experimental results demonstrates very clearly a strong linear relationship of
unsoaked CBR with the initial state factor (Fi ), combination of water content, dry density and void ratio. This
factor has been also developed for the soaking or saturated condition and is called the soaking state factor (Fs ).
The coefficients of the linear relationship (i.e. constant and slope) have been found to depend on plasticity index
and testing conditions. Comparison of the measured and predicted values of unsoaked and soaked CBR using
the developed equations clearly indicates the reliability of these equations.
Keywords:
1

CBR, Initial state factor

INTRODUCTION

The CBR test is the most widespread method of determining the bearing strength of pavement materials and
is fundamental to pavement design practice in most
countries. The design of pavement is much dependent
on the CBR value of subgrade. The CBR test can be
performed both in the laboratory and field. It is essential that the standard test procedure should be strictly
followed (AASHTO 2005, ASTM 1992, BS 13771990). The CBR test may be conducted on remoulded
or on soil in place. The samples may be tested at their
natural or at remoulded moisture content (unsoaked
CBR), or they may be soaked by immersing in water
for a specified period of time (four days) in order to
simulate highly unfavorable moisture conditions of the
soil type.
Civil engineers always encounter difficulties in
obtaining representative CBR values for design of
pavement. A CBR value is affected by the type of soil
and different soil properties.An attempt has been made
to correlate the CBR with simple soil properties. It can
be an alternative method for the time consuming tests.
These tests are much economical and rapid than CBR
test. This paper aims to develop correlations between
CBR values with the soil state factors developed from
easy measured soil index properties such as water content, dry density, void ratio and plasticity index that can
be used for prediction of CBR values of cohesive soils
(i.e. silt and clay).
2

LITERATURE REVIEW

It is reasonable to assume that California Bearing Ratio

(CBR) values are related to soil index properties in

Figure 1. Relationship between CBR and plasticity index

for various liquidity index values (Black 1962).

some ways. Many researches had been carried out to

show the effect of soil types and characteristics on
CBR values (Black 1962, De Graft Johnson & Bhatia
1969, Agarwal & Ghanekar 1970, NCHRP 2001).
A number of attempts have been made to correlate CBR with soil grain distribution and plasticity.
Among them, Black 1962 had developed a method of
estimating the CBR value for cohesive soils. He had
obtained the correlations between CBR and plasticity
index for various values of liquidity index which is
shown in Figure1. The values given in this figure are
only referred to saturated soils. For unsaturated soils,
the CBR values obtained can be corrected by applying
the correction factor as shown in Figure 2.
Agarwal and Ghanekar 1970 had tried to develop
a correlation between CBR values and either liquid
limit, plastic limit or plasticity index. However, they
failed to find any significant correlation between them.

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