Sathawara et al, International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Studies E-ISSN2249–8974

Research Paper
COMPARISON BETWEEN SOAKED AND UNSOAKED CBR
1
Sathawara Jigar K., 2Prof. A.K.Patel

Address for Correspondence

1
M. E. Student, (Transporation Eng.) Civil Department L. D. College of Engineering, Ahmedabad.
2
Lecturer, Civil Engg. Dept.Government polytechnic College Himatnagar.
ABSTRACT
Pavements are a conglomeration of materials. These materials, their associated properties, and their interactions determine
the properties of the resultant pavement. Thus, a good understanding of these materials, how they are characterized, and how
they perform is fundamental to understanding pavement. The materials which are used in the construction of highway are of
intense interest to the highway engineer. This requires not only a thorough understanding of the soil and aggregate properties
which affect pavement stability and durability, but also the binding materials which may be added to improve these
pavement features. Soil is an accumulation or deposit of earth material, derived naturally from the disintegration of rocks or
decay of vegetation, that can be excavated readily with power equipment in the field or disintegrated by gentle mechanical
means in the laboratory. The supporting soil beneath pavement and its special under courses is called sub grade. Undisturbed
soil beneath the pavement is called natural sub grade. Compacted sub grade is the soil compacted by controlled movement of
heavy compactors. The performance of pavements depends to a large extent on the strength and stiffness of the subgrades.
Among the various methods of evaluating the subgrade strength, CBR test is important but quick estimate of CBR is very
important for highway engineer so this paper is focus on compression of soaked and unsoaked CBR value.
KEY WORDS: California bearing ratio, Soaked CBR, Unsoaked CBR
INTRODUCTION handling. A true composite soil stiffness
The load bearing capacity of the soil supporting determination can only be determined using actual
highways, airfield runways and other pavement stiffness data of in-situ soil conditions at varying
systems is of immense importance to the integrity of depths (varying subgrade conditions).
the pavement. This load-bearing capacity, or soil Another known method for determining composite
stiffness, changes from time to time and can vary soil stiffness is the use of plate bearing tests on the
from place to place within a given area. surface of soil layers. As mentioned herein above, the
Soil stiffness is the degree of resistance to current most widely used way to determine soil
deformation upon loading. The extent and time- stiffness is by using the California Bearing Ratio
dependence of, and the degree of recovery from, (CBR) test on soil samples that are prepared in the
deformation is primarily dependent upon the soil's laboratory, the objective being to calculate with the
properties, existing stress conditions, and the stress stiffness, or resilient modulus of soil. As per
history. Soil properties in turn are determined by a MORT&H Specifications, subgrade can be defined as
variety of complex interrelated factors, including a compacted layer, generally of naturally occurring
composition particle size and particle-size local soil, assumed to be 300 mm in thickness, just
distribution, weight-volume relationships, and in-situ beneath the pavement crust, providing a suitable
stresses.The stability or load-bearing capacity foundation for the pavement. The subgrade in
(capability) of the pavement of airport runways, embankment is compacted in two layers, usually to a
highways and other pavement systems is determined higher standard than the lower part of the
in significant part by the load-bearing capacity of the embankment. In cuttings, the cut formation, which
underlying subpavement) earth or soil, which may serves as the subgrade, is treated similarly to provide
deteriorate over time due to environmental and stress a suitable foundation for the pavement.
influences on soil properties. For instance, changes in Where the naturally occurring local subgrade soils
soil load-bearing conditions due to changes in have poor engineering properties and low strength in
moisture content and/or repeated loading over time terms of CBR, for example in Black Cotton soil
are well recognized in engineering fields. In addition, areas, improved subgrades are provided by way of
certain pavement systems such as runways and lime/cement treatment or by mechanical stabilization
highways typically endure repeated severe loadings and other similar techniques.
on a daily basis. The subgrade, whether in cutting or in embankment,
The proper determination of existing bearing-load should be well compacted to utilize its full strength
capacities of soil-supported pavement systems and to economize on the overall pavement thickness.
requires that the existing soil conditions be defined The current MORT&H Specifications require that the
and evaluated. Conventional soil-structure modeling subgrade should be compacted to 98 %. Maximum
is based on the results of laboratory testing of Dry Density achieved by the Modified Proctor Test
individual localized soil samples, as in the case of the (IS 2720-Part 7). The material used for subgrade
well-known California Bearing Ratio, or CBR, construction should have a dry unit weight of not less
laboratory test. However, tests such as the CBR are than 16.5kN/m3.
severely disadvantaged because the test conditions DETERMINING SUBGRADE STRENGTH
and the soil sample (specimen) are not representative FOR DESIGNING
of in-situ conditions. Absent are (a) in-situ For the pavement design of new roads the subgrade
overburden stress, (b) in-situ soil interactions, and the strength needs to be evaluated in terms of CBR value
like. Further, many if not most soil samples have been which can be estimated by any of the following
disturbed to some degree during sampling and methods:

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 Sathawara et al, International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Studies

Based on soil classification tests and the
table given in IRC:SP:72-2007 which gives
typical presumptive design CBR values for
soil samples compacted to proctor density at
optimum moisture content and soaked under
water for 4 days.

Using a Nomograph based on wet sieve
analysis data, for estimating 4-day soaked
CBR values on samples compacted to
proctor density.

Using two sets of equations, based on
classification test data, one for plastic soils
and the other for non-plastic soils, for
estimating soaked CBR values on samples
compacted to proctor density.

By conducting actual CBR tests in the
laboratory.
The third and forth method come in handy where
adequate testing facilities are not available or the
project is of such a size as to not to warrant elaborate
testing procedures.
QUICK ESTIMATION OF CBR
Plastic soil
CBR= 75/(1+0.728 WPI),
Where WPI= weighted plasticity index= P0.075× PI
PI= Plasticity index of soil in %
P0.075= % Passing 0.075 mm sieve in decimal
Non- Plastic soil
CBR= 28.091(D60)0.3581
\Where D60= Diameter in mm of the grain size
corresponding to 60% finer.
Soil classification can be used for preliminary report
preparation.
CALIFORNIA BEARING RATIO
(The actual laboratory method)
The CBR test was originally developed by O.J. Porter
for the California Highway Department during the
1920s. It is a load-deformation test performed in the
laboratory or the field, whose results are then used
with an empirical design chart to determine the
thickness of flexible pavement, base, and other layers
for a given vehicle loading. Though the test
originated in California, the California Department of
Transportation and most other highway agencies have
since abandoned the CBR method of pavement
design. In the 1940s, the US Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE) adopted the CBR method of
design for flexible airfield pavements.
The thickness of different elements comprising a
pavement is determined by CBR values. The CBR
Table 1.1 Analysis of CL Type Soil
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E-ISSN2249–8974
test is a small scale penetration test in which a
cylindrical plunger of 3 in2 (5 cm in dia) cross-
section is penetrated into a soil mass ( i.e., sub-grade
material ) at the rate of 0.05 in. per minute (1.25
mm/minute). Observations are taken between the
penetration resistance (called the test load ) versus the
penetration of plunger. The penetration resistance of
the plunger into a standard sample of crushed stone
for the corresponding penetration is called standard
load. The California bearing ratio, abbreviated as
CBR is defined as the ratio of the test load to the
standard load , expressed as percentage for a given
penetration of the plunger. CBR = (Test
load/Standard load)×100 The table gives the standard
loads adopted for different penetrations for the
standard material with a CBR value of 100%.
EXPERIMENTAL WORK
Six Lot of soil samples as per classification viz. CH,
CI, CL, ML, SC and SM samples are moulded at its
optimum moisture content to its proctor density was
tested for its soaked and unsoaked CBR strength and
also carried out IS classification as per IS 2720 and
wet sieve analysis also carried out by four soil
sample. Thus the process comprises of three parts.
1. On original sample carried out first wet sieve
analysis, liquid limit and plastic limit.
2. Estimation of proctor density and optimum
moisture content for each soil sample.
3. Moulding the soil sample into standard
moulds keeping its moisture content and dry
density exactly same as its optimum
moisture content and proctor density
respectively.
4. Determination of CBR strength of the
respective soil samples in moulds using the
CBR instrument.
5. Each soil sample is tested for its soaked
CBR and unsoaked CBR strength after being
soaked in water for 4 days.
TEST RESULTS
Six Lot of soil samples as per as per test result CL,
ML, SC and SM samples are moulded at its optimum
moisture content to its proctor density was tested for
its soaked and unsoaked CBR strength and also
carried out IS Classification.
Where,
CL = Inorganic Clays of Low to Medium Plasticity.
ML = Inorganic Silts of Low to Medium Plasticity.
SC = Clayey Sands.
SM = Silty Sands.
 Sathawara et al, International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Studies E-ISSN2249–8974

Fig 1.1 Graph of CL Result

Table 1.2 Analysis of ML Type Soil

Fig 1.2 Graph of ML Result

Table 1.3 Analysis of SC Type Soil

Fig 1.3 Graph of SC Result

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 Sathawara et al, International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Studies E-ISSN2249–8974

Fig 1.4 Graph of SM Result

Table 1.4 Analysis of SM Type Soil

CONCLUSION
From this regression analysis derived equations.
Correlation between unsoaked CBR and soaked CBR
for CL type soil is
Y = 0.936x0.819, R² = 0.828 ….(1)
Correlation between unsoaked CBR and soaked CBR
for ML type soil is
Y = 1.056x0.850, R² = 0.850 ….(2)
Correlation between unsoaked CBR and soaked CBR
for SC type soil is
Y = 0.666x1.086, R² = 0.981 ….(3)
Correlation between unsoaked CBR and soaked CBR
for SM type soil is
Y = 0.906x0.775, R² = 0.863 ….(4)
From above equation the soaked CBR can easily
derived for various type of soil. Four days soaking
period is very long time and quickly derivation of
CBR for pavement design. Each soil CBR is depends
on the Grain Size Analysis and Atturburgs Limit and
their classification.
REFERENCE
• IRC- SP-72, “Guidelines for the Design of Flexible
Pavements for low volume of Rural road”
• IS 2720 Part-5 “Metod of test for Soil-Determination
of Liquid limit and Plastic limit”
• IS 2720 Part –8 “Metod of test for Soil-Determination
of Water Contenent,Dry density relation using a heavy
Compation”
• IS 2720 Part-16 “Metod of test for Soil-Laboratory
determination of CBR”Partha Chakroborty & Animesh
Das “Principles of Transportation Engineering”
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways Report of
the Specifications for Road and Bridge Work in India.

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