Standard Specification for

Materials for Embankments

and Subgrades

AASHTO Designation: M 57-80 (2012)

1. SCOPE
1.1. This specification covers materials for use in the construction of embankments and subgrades.

1.2. The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard.

2. REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
2.1. AASHTO Standards:
 M 145, Classification of Soils and Soil-Aggregate Mixtures for Highway Construction
Purposes
 M 146, Terms Relating to Subgrade, Soil-Aggregate, and Fill Materials
 R 58, Dry Preparation of Disturbed Soil and Soil-Aggregate Samples for Test
 T 11, Materials Finer Than 75-ȝP1R6LHYHLQ0LQHUDO$JJUHJDWHVE\:DVKLQJ
 76LHYH$QDO\VLVRI)LQHDQG&RDUVH$ggregates
 T 88, Particle Size Analysis of Soils
 T 89, Determining the Liquid Limit of Soils
 7'HWHUPLQLQJWKH3ODVWLF/LPLWDQG3ODVWLFLW\,QGH[RI6RLOV
 T 99, Moisture-'HQVLW\5HODWLRQVRI6RLOV8VLQJD-NJ-OE5DPPHUDQGD-mm
-LQDrop
 T 146, :HW3UHSDUDWLRQRI'LVWXUEHG6RLO6DPSOHVIRU7HVW
 70RLVWXUH-Density Relations of Soils Using a 4.54-NJ-OE5DPPHUDQGD-mm
-LQ'URS
 T 191, Density of Soil In-Place by the Sand-Cone Method
 7Density of Soil In-Place by Block, Chunk, or Core Sampling
 7In-Place Density and Moisture Content of Soil and Soil-$JJUHJDWHE\1XFOHDU
0HWKRGV6KDOORZ'HSWK

3. TERMINOLOGY
3.1. Terminology for these materials is given in M 146.

4. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
4.1. Materials shall be free from detrimental quantities of organic material, such as leaves, grass, roots,
and sewage.

TS-1b M 57-1 AASHTO

© 2015 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.
4.2. Materials obtained from cuts or borrow areas shall conform to one of the following requirements:
Note 1—See M 145.

4.2.1. In Embankments—Materials classified in the A-1, A--4, A--5, or A-JURXSVDVLQ0 145 shall
be used when available and shall be compacted to the depth specified to not less than 95 percent of
the maximum density per T 99. If material of this character is not available and materials from the
A--6, A--7, A-4, A-5, A-6, or A-7 groups must be used, special attention should be given to the
design and construction of the embankment. Materials from these groups shall be compacted to
not less than 95 percent of the maximum density and within two percentage points of the optimum
moisture content per T 99.

4.2.2. In Subgrades—Materials classified in the A-1, A--4, A--5, or A-JURXSVDVVKRZQLQM 145

shall be used when available and shall be compacted to the depth specified to not less than 95
percent of the maximum density per T 99. Materials in the A--6, A--7, A-4, A-5, A-6, or A-7
groups may be used if compacted to the depth specified to not less than 95 percent of the
maximum density and within two percentage points of the optimum moisture content per T 99.

4.3. Local shale may be used in embankment or subgrade construction if the condition of existing
pavements and embankments indicates satisfactory results. Appropriate special specifications shall
be prepared for such material.

5. DENSITY REQUIREMENTS
5.1. 'HQVLW\SHUFHQWDJHUHTXLUHPHQWVPD\EHVSHFLILHGLQWHUPVRI7LIWKHUHVXOWDQWGHQVLW\DQG
optimum moisture content are comparable with T 99 under the above conditions.

6. METHODS OF TESTING
6.1. Methods of testing materials for embankments and subgrades shall be in accordance with the
standard methods of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
6HH7DEOH

Table 1—AASHTO Standard Methods

6RLOSUHSDUDWLRQGU\PHWKRG R 58
6RLOSUHSDUDWLRQZHWPHWKRG T 146
Material passing 75-—P1RVLHYH T 11
Sieve analysis 7
Mechanical analysis of soils T 88
Liquid limit T 89
Plastic limit 7
Moisture-density relationship >-NJ-OEUDPPHU@ T 99
Moisture-density relationship [4.54-kg -OEUDPPHU@ 7
Density of soil in-place 77
Moisture in-place by nuclear methods 7

Note 2—8VHHLWKHU7RU7DQG7WRGHWHUPLQHWKHSDUWLFOHVL]HGLVWULEXWLRQDVDEDVLV
for classification.

TS-1b M 57-2 AASHTO

© 2015 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.