@D FLEXIBLE PAVEMENT DESIGN IN EXPANSIVE SOILS Final Report OF THE EXPERT COMMITTEE The minutes of first meeting held on 19-7-2017 was submitted earlier. The following were present on 7-11-207; 1. Professor G:V.Rao, Former Professor and Head, Dept of Civil Engineering, IT Delhi, Chairman Professor G.L.Siva Kumar Babu, IISc, Bangalore, Member Mr.M.Venkataraman, Geotechnical and Geosynthetic Expert, Chennai, Member Prof.S.K Rao, (Former Professor IIT Kharagpur) Visakhapatnam, Special Invitee MrJaswant Kumar, M/s Aarvee Associates “Hyderabad, Mr. Sreenivasa Rao, M/s Aarvee Associates, Hyderabad Dr.G.V.SSuryanarayana Raju, Advisor, ADCL, Vijayawada, Convener ‘The Agenda on both the occasions is to discuss the pavement design issues over the black cotton soil in the proposed lay out of Amaravati, the capital of Andhra Pradesh under the ADCL, Govt. of A.P. and propose sustainable solutions. ‘A brief presentation was first made by M/s Aarvee Associates, Hyderabad on the geotechnical and highway parameters used in the design approach. It is understood that considering the various soil/subgrade parameters based on the Geotechnical reports provided by the ADCL, assuming design traffic of 100 MSA the design is proposed by the consultant M/S Aarvee Associates, as per the related IRC and MORTH documents, the salient points of which are brought out in the following, Subsoil of Amaravati Region ‘The subsoil of entire area in Amaravati region consists of highly plastic of Black Clay extending up to about 3.0m to 6.0m from OGL having Free Swell Index ranging from 40% to 120%. Generally the Ground Water Table is at about 3.0 to 4.0m from GL. Embankment & Subgrade Proposal over Existing Soil In the entire road network, FRI. has been selected such that it will not have much impact on city construction that would takes place in the entire area. Accordingly the FRI. of the network roads varies from 0.5m to 1.3m from ground level. The entire construction shall take place over the existing expansive clay by cutting, the OGL by 0.3m minimum to a maximum of 1.0m, so that the design FRI can be achieved with proposed pavement crust.‘Typical Cross Section Dense Bituminous Macadam _Wet Mix Macadam (WMM) _ _Gramulas Sub Base (GSB) ww Sibgae &Entsines 0am 500mm) Ree Datel dn Ground Wate Tale (3.0 04 0a dep ftom GL) ‘Typical Cross Section of Road Crust Embankment & Subgrade Proposal over Existing Soil Itis proposed to have the total subgrade (500mm thick) material and another 500mm thick embankment material just below the subgrade be provided with suitable borrow soil meeting all specific requirements, In this process, the existing ground will be excavated as per the designed FRL, proposed pavement crust shall be built over the new formation of 500mm subgrade plus 500mm thick embankment layer just below the subgrade. IRC 37-2012, Annex IV suggest that, to have a buffer layer of 0.6 to 1.0m thick non expansive soil over the existing expansive soil bed, which ultimately prevents the moisture in to expansive soil and even if the expansive soil heaves, the movement will be uniform and consequently more tolerable. Guidelines Suggested in MoRTH & IRC 37-2012 However, where provision of non-expansive buffer layer is not economically feasible a blanket course of suitable impermeable material and an impermeable blanket course of at least 225mm thickness and composed of coarser or medium sand or non- plastic moorum having PI value less than five should be provided on the expansive soil subgrade as sub-base to serve as an effective intrusion barrier. It must have very low permeability. The blanket course should extend over the entire formation width. IRC 37-2012, Annex IV also suggest that, alternatively, lime stabilised black cotton sub-base extending over the entire formation width may be provided together with measures for efficient drainage of the pavement section. Salient points Discussed during the meeting :@® The committee examined the soil testing reports at Thulluru, Krishnyapalem and Navuluru submitted by M/s Aarvee associates and is of the opinion that the soil at the three locations are highly expansive based on clay content, swell pressure, natural moisture content etc. Test Result Summary for UDS from Open Pits at Thllr/rishnapaayam Location anit} sein 7 JABRBEEL . HBB HRA) aVHATEE TE a] ey aay ts alt a3 | | Heal Tatetatets[- [ele [ ole z 1 ram» [es || ff 1) wrt] (00/7 [aa] af || wf a] \*| = + Yea 2 [oso [ [| a|[a o|e] os [es To | = fail “enn 2) | >|] | | | wf anf uae foes] oar [os [ont [ on ‘The detailed test report from samples obtained from test pits presented below indicate that thesoil is of CH type. The Liquid Limit (%) ranges from 65 to 80 and Plastic Limit ranges from 22 to 23. The maximum value of swelling pressure is 0.48 kg/cm2,, at different depths and max DES of 120. Based upon IS 1498, itis evident the subsoil may be categorized with HIGH Degtee of Expansion and the degree of severity is CRITICAL. IS 1498: Table-8: Showing the Degree of Expansion of Fine Grained Soils Liquid Limit | Plastic Limit | shrinkage | Free Swell | Degree of | Degree of (wi) (Pl) | Limits) | Index (4) | Expansion | Severioy 20-35, <12 <15 <50 Low Non-critical 3550 | 1233 15-30 | 50-100 | Medium | Marginal 50-70 23-32 30-60 100-200 High Critical 70-90 >32 >60 >200 Very High SevereD Hence, itis felt that the proposal of 500 mm of subgrade material and another 500 mm thick ‘embankment material with suitability as mentioned in clause 305 of MoRTH shalll NOT satisfy the requirements to address the highly expansive soil lying beneath. Hence additional proposals need to considered. However, based on present test results and proposals given in pavement design report, any suggestions are given by Expert Committee, shall be implemented. Based on detailed discussion, the committee submitted the following approaches: 1. Provision of Geo-synthetic reinforced soil bed (3 layers of Biaxial Geo-grid) above the expansive soil. This layer is expected to act as flexible foundation which can accommodate the movement in expansive soil layer. To avoid end effects there is a key at the edges which functions as end restraint. The two layers are filled with gravel/sand. This system replaces the 500 mim + 500 mm concept as originally proposed by AARWEE and is the best way of taking into consideration the ill effects of swell pressure of the subgrade. Itdoes involve the use of geosyntheties (the specifications of which will be provided on acceptance of the system, in principle) and the use of gravel/ sand “Arangemvn of Ground Improvenien Wi iosymtetes 2. The second approach is to use the lime treatment and by providing lime treated stabilised layer. This will be in accordance with IRC guide lines (SAR on Lime Stabilization, IRC 2000). Use of as low a content of 2 % of pure lime (or 4 % of commercial lime) will modify the soil and drastically reduces the swelling pressure, as the soil becomes agglomerated to larger silt size particle. If Fly ash is available near the site this will further enhance the engineering properties of black cotton@&D soil. Many studies have been done on this at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and earlier at IIT Delhi. However, suitable combination of mix proportions are to be evaluated, by laboratory studies and also construction details need to be effectively brought out. This modified soil can be used in both the layers, as originally proposed by AARWEE. 3. The third approach comprises of providing a third layer of sand below 500 mm + 500 mm layers originally proposed by AARWEE , which in a way meets the provision of the IRC in providing a drainage blanket layer Further the views expressed by Prof SK RAO have been included at the as An Annexure to this, Report. He brings out two major points Traffic ‘The assumed traffic of 100 MSA is too high. A more realistic value is (say) 50 MSA. This can effectively lead us to an Alternative pavement composition, to the optimum. 2Subgrade Treatment for swelling soils, Removal and replacement of swelling soil is recognized as the best type of treatment. But the practical feasibility of removing one meter depth of soil across a width of more than 60 meters over a length of several kilo meters needs to be examined carefully. The excavation and removal time, how many truck loads, transportation time, the dumping yard for the excavated material, the dust that is raised and other environmental issues, if any, should be clearly considered for time management, besides the enormous. cost involved. Again it is contemplated to use an SC type of soil as the borrow in order to achieve reasonably a high CBR value. There is a caution given by the Federal Highway Agency (USA) in dealing with swelling soils for subgrades in their interstate highways «Minimum depth of excavation should not be less than two feet (600mm) + Material being put back should not be granular soils. Cohesive non-swelling soils such as silts, clayey silts, silty clays or some clays (non-swelling) should be used The three proposals as described above need to be examined by the ADCL, in terms of feasibility, cost and contractual obligations. (Dr.G.Venkatappa Rao) (Prof.G.LSivakumarBabu) (Mr.M.Venkataraman) December 17, 2017