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TITLE –CALIFORNIA BEARING RATIO

AIM OF THE EXPERIMENT: To determine the ratio of force per unit area required to
penetrate into a soil mass with a circular plunger of 50mm diameter at the rate of 1.25mm /
min

THEORY:

The California bearing ratio test is penetration test meant for the evaluation of subgrade
strength of roads and pavements. The results obtained by these tests are used with the
empirical curves to determine the thickness of pavement and its component layers. This is the
most widely used method for the design of flexible pavement.

Originally California bearing ratio test was developed in 1929 by California division
of highway for evaluating the stability of soil sub grade and others flexible pavements design.
The abbreviation of California bearing ratio is (C.B.R). C.B.R may be defined as the ratio of
the test load required to force a cylindrical plunger of 19.355 cm² cross sectional area into a
soil mass at the rate of 1.25 mm/min to the load required for the corresponding penetration of
the plunger into a standard sample.

CBR = TEST LOAD/ STANDARD LOAD

Penetration of plunger (mm) Standard load (kg)

2.5 1370
5.0 2055
7.5 2630
10.0 3180
12.5 3600

The California bearing ratio test essentially is an arbitrary strength test and thus cannot be
used to evaluate the soil properties as angle of internal friction, cohesion or shearing
resistance etc. The C.B.R. test results are used in the empirical method of flexible pavement
design.

APPARATUS:-

1. Moulds with internal diameter and effective height of 150 mm.175 mm with base
plate, stay rod and wing nut.
2. Collar, Spacer Disc.
3. Metal rammer having weight of 2.6Kg.
4. Expansion measuring apparatus with the adjustable stem, perforated plates, tripod
5. Penetration plunge (50 mm dia × 100 mm height).
6. Dial gauge two numbers (least count of 0.01mm).

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7. Loading machine having a capacity of at least 5000kg and equipped with a

movable head or base that travels at a uniform rate of 1.25mm / minfor use in
forcing the penetration plunger in to the specimen.
8. Spacer disc (148 mm dia ×47.7 mm height).
9. Surcharge weight (2.5 kg).
10. Slotted weight (2.5 kg).
11. IS sieves 20mm.
12. Miscellaneous apparatus such as mixing bowl, straight edge, scales, drying oven,
filter paper, dishes and calibrated measuring jar.

DIAGRAM :

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PROCEDURE:-

1. For assembling the mould, first place the spacer disc with threaded hole side at the
bottom of the base plate.
2. Place a filter paper at the spacer disc.
3. Apply some lubricant inside the surface area of the cylindrical mould.
4. Place the mould over the spacer disc on the detachable base plate, also fix the annular
collar and fit the screw.
5. Take about 5 kg of oven dried soil sample passing 20 mm IS sieve.
6. Add water to the optimum moisture content of the soil.
7. Compact the soil in three layers in the mould with 56 numbers of blows in each layer
with 2.5 kg rammer.
8. After compacting the last layer or the top layer, remove the annular collar and trim
the top surface.

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9. Now remove the cylindrical mould from the base plate and make it upside down.
10. Remove the filter paper.
11. Take the weight of the mould plus soil sample.
12. Remove the spacer disc.
13. Clean the base plate and put another fresh filter paper at the bottom and place the
mould to the base such that the compacted surface comes to the bottom.
14. Tighten the screw.
15. Place an annular weight of mass 2.6 kg and add another slotted weight over annular
weight.
16. Place the assembly to the pedestal of the loading unit.
17. Set the proving ring and the dial gauge in position.
18. Place the needle in the position for both dial gauge and proving ring dial gauge and
set the initial to zero.
19. Start the machine to penetrate at the rate of 1.25mm/ min.
20. Observe the load proving ring reading corresponding to the given penetration.

NOTE-

 If 2.5 mm reading is greater than 5 mm reading, then the value of 2.5 mm is taken.
 If 2.5 mm reading is lesser than 5 mm reading, then repeat the test.
 Again after repeating the test if 2.5 mm reading is lesser than 5 mm reading then takes
the 5 mm reading.

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REFERENCE TABLE:-

PENETRATION UNIT LOAD ( Kg/cm2) TOTAL LOAD (Kgf)

IN (mm)

2.5 70 1370
5 105 2055

REFERENCE TABLE:-

SOAKED C.B.R 2 3 4 5 7 10 75 20 50 100

VALUE %
k-VALUE 2.1 2.8 3.5 4.2 4.8 5.5 6.2 6.9 14.0 22.2
Kg/cm2/cm

REFERENCE DIAGRAM -

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OBSERVATION TABLE:-

PENETRATION PROVING RING READING

IN (mm)
READING LOAD (Kgf)
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
5.5
6
6.5
7
7.5
8
8.5
9
9.5
10
10.5
11
11.5
12
12.5

CALCULATION:-

REPORT-

1. Report the CBR value to the nearest second decimal.

2. Take the average of three test specimens as the CBR value of the test.
3. Generally, the CBR value at 2.50mm penetration will be greater than that at 5.00mm
penetration and in such case take the value at 2.50mm as the CBR value.
4. If the CBR value corresponding to a penetration of 5.00mm exceeds that of
2.50mm,repeat the test.
5. If the identical results follow, take the value corresponding to 5.00mm as the CBR value.

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RESULT:-

1. C.B.R VALUE =
2. K- VALUE =

SIGNIFICANCE-

 It gives the subgrade strength

 The CBR value can be used for design of flexible pavement through the CBR method.
 If the plate load test is not available, the CBR method can be used to find the k value
of soil.

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