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Katte Et Al-2018-Geotechnical and Geological Engineering
Katte Et Al-2018-Geotechnical and Geological Engineering
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Abstract The California Bearing Ratio (CBR) is the thirty-three soil samples were collected and trans-
most utilised parameter for dimensioning flexible ported to the laboratory for analysis. Routine geotech-
pavements in tropical countries. Often this test is nical tests were carried out and thereafter correlation
expensive, laborious and time consuming, and to and regression analysis were run on the obtained
overcome this, some regression analysis (single and results to assess the relationship between these index
multiple) was considered between the soil’s index properties, compaction characteristics and the exper-
properties (liquid limit-LL, Plastic limit-PL and imental CBR obtained. The results of this analysis
Plasticity index-PI), compaction characteristics (max- showed relatively fair coefficients of determination of
imum dry density-MDD and optimum moisture con- R2 = 0.772 between CBR and MDD using single
tent-OMC), percentage of particle sizes (gravel, sand linear regression analysis and R2 = 0.841 between
and clay/silt) and CBR. The study was carried out CBR and all the parameters using multiple linear
along an ongoing roadway construction project where regression analysis (MLRA). Though the MLRA
improved the R2 from 0.772 to 0.841, the inclusion
of additional properties results in a marginal increase
V. Y. Katte (&) of R2 indicative of weak correlators of CBR hence
Department of Civil Engineering and Forestry practically not cost effective for pavement design .
Techniques, HTTTC, The University of Bamenda,
P.O. Box 39, Bambili, North West Region, Cameroon
e-mail: ykatte@yahoo.com Keywords CBR Flexible pavement Soil index
properties Compaction characteristics Percentage of
S. M. Mfoyet B. Manefouet A. S. L. Wouatong particle sizes SLRA MLRA Pearson’s coefficient
Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science,
R2 Cost effective
University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang,
West Region, Cameroon
e-mail: mfoyetsouleyman@gmail.com
B. Manefouet
e-mail: mceliebertille@yahoo.fr 1 Introduction
A. S. L. Wouatong
e-mail: aslwouat@yahoo.com Transportation Infrastructure is a key component for
any long term development program for any nation.
L. A. Bezeng
The development of road network is regarded as an
Bela Company LTD., P.O. Box 1104, Bamenda,
North West Region, Cameroon index of economic, social and commercial progress of
e-mail: bezeng_aleh@yahoo.com a particular country. No region or country can flourish/
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Geotech Geol Eng
develop, if it lacks adequate transportation facilities Trompette 1980) and is very well exposed in South
and more so the road network. It is thus logical that Cameroon (Rocci 1965; Maurizot et al. 1985; Good-
28% of World Bank funds in Cameroon are allocated win 1991). It is limited to the north by a major thrust
to the transportation sector. Therefore, it becomes very that marks the contact with the Pan-African orogenic
important that at the early stages of the planning, belt (Yaoundé group) and is composed of various rock
design and construction of a road network, proper soil types, with rocks of the TTG (Tonalite–Trondhjemite–
characterization must be carried out. This is to avoid Granodiorite) constituting the greater part(Nédélec
jeopardizing the envisaged infrastructure, be they 1990). Three main rock types, the charnockitic suite,
highways, airports, seaports, railways etc. granodioritic suite and the tonalitic suite, distin-
The CBR (California Bearing Ratio) is the most guished on cartographic and field observation maps,
utilised parameter for dimensioning flexible pave- make up this TTG unit. The tonalitic suite (known as
ments in tropical countries. The bearing capacity of ‘‘Soo granite’’ and as ‘‘Soo tonalite’’ (Nédélec 1990)
the subgrade soil is important in determining the is essentially exposed to the north and is strongly
pavement thickness. A low CBR entails a thicker mylonitized and retrogressed along the fault boundary
pavement and vice versa. To determine the CBR with the Pan-African orogenic belt, while granodi-
representative soil samples are compacted at prede- oritic suite massifs form distinct bodies within the
termined optimum moisture content and maximum dominantly charnockitic southern zone (Fig. 1). The
dry density for a given compactive energy of the soil S0 structural surface is basically NW–SE in the
material. Thereafter the CBR value is obtained only charnockitic suite, NNE–SSW to almost E–W in the
after immersion in water for 4 days and sheared. tonalitic suite and E–W to WNW–ESE in granodior-
Carrying this exercise on soil samples collected from a ites, indicating structural discordances and suggesting
limited number of locations cannot be representative a poly- phase structural setup in the Sangmelima TTG
of the whole road trajectory due to the variations of (Shang 2001). Furthermore, charnockitic xenoliths
their engineering properties. So overcoming this occur in granodioritic and tonalitic massifs and the
entails the collection of a large number of specimens latter form veins and dykes in charnockite thus
for testing which makes the procedure expensive, time portraying relative chronology for the three members
consuming and laborious. To resolve this, the predic- of the TTG suite.
tion of CBR values of subgrade soil with easily Exposures of supracrustal rocks (banded iron
determinable parameters becomes necessary and sta- formations and sillimanite-bearing Para gneisses) that
tistical analysis can be used. So far, no information is represent remnants of greenstone belts form xenoliths
available from this study area and its environs of such in TTG suite rocks (Nsifa et al. 1993). Late- to post-
an attempt to correlate soil properties and CBR using tectonic granitoids and syenites with alkaline affinity
regression analysis (single and multiple) between the intrude the TTG (Kornprobst et al. 1976; Nédélec
soil’s index properties (liquid limit-LL, Plastic limit- 1990; Tchameni 1997; Tchameni et al. 2000, 2001;
PL and Plasticity index-PI), compaction characteris- Shang 2001; Shang et al. 2001a, b), and clearly
tics (maximum dry density-MDD and optimum mois- postdate the major crustal forming episode. Eburnean
ture content-OMC), percentage of particle sizes (2.1 Ga) doleritic dykes (Toteu et al. 1994; Vicat et al.
(gravel, sand and clay/silt) and CBR. 1996)represent the last magmatic activity in the Ntem
complex.
Petro-structural studies suggest two major episodes
2 Description of Study Area/Geological Setting of deformation in this geological domain. The first
deformation episode is characterized by vertical
This study was carried out on the Sangmelima- foliation, stretching and vertical lineation and isoclinal
Mengong a highway construction project. This area folds. These structural elements could mark the
and its environs is located in the North western edge of diapiric emplacement of the granitoids (Shang 2001;
the Congo craton and specifically in the Ntem Tchameni et al. 2001). The second major tectonother-
complex. This represents the north-western part of mal event is marked by the development of sinistral
the Archaean Congo craton in Central Africa (Clifford shear planes trending north–south to N45E, and partial
and Gass 1970; Cahen et al. 1976; Bessoles and melting of charnockitic and tonalitic members of the
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Geotech Geol Eng
TTG suite and the greenstone belt country rocks, zircon data on metamorphic rocks from the Nyong
described as post-Archaean and post-charnockitic series. Below is the geological map of the studied area.
migmatisation (Nsifa and Riou 1990). Although the The study area is located in what is called the South
timing to this second tectonothermal event is not well Cameroon plateau. This zone shows successive con-
known, Rb–Sr whole-rock data from Lasserre and vex and convexo-concave hills, which often transit
Soba (Lasserre and Soba 1976)suggest that this event progressively into pediments around the tropics (Se-
could have occurred during the Eburnean orogeny. galen 1967; Eno Belinga 1983). These hills make up
The peak of this metamorphism is dated at about much of the tropical plateau landscapes (500 and
million years 2050 (Toteu et al. 1994), using U–Pb 800 m altitude) Bitom et al. 2013. The latter are
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Geotech Geol Eng
surmounted primarily by high plateaus (800 to being the ferriginous duricrust in the tropical plateaus,
1800–2000 m) and secondly by mountainous massifs bauxitic duricrust on the high plateau and andosols on
([ 2000 m altitude) which impose considerable mod- the tropical mountains. Such a relief is replete with
ifications to climate and vegetation distribution. These many streams and rivers draining the area of which the
modifications have a direct bearing on the geochem- two main ones are the Dja and Lobo constituting part
ical behaviour and nature of soils (Segalen 1967). of the Congo River basin. The climate is the ‘Guinean
Bitom et al. 2013 have recognized three soil types type’ with two dry seasons alternating with two humid
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Fig. 3 Showing
investigation depth during
sample collection
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Geotech Geol Eng
43.0 2.180 10.40 66.5 43.2 23.3 67.1 6 24.1 A-2-7(1) Reddish or brownish clayey
37.0 2.145 11.10 86.9 51.3 35.6 71.5 8.5 15.9 A-2-7(0) lateritic gravel
30.0 2.050 13.30 43.6 26.5 17.1 57.1 12.4 28.3 A-2-7(1)
47.0 2.191 11.00 64.7 42.6 22.1 64.6 11.7 23.7 A-2-7(1)
30.5 2.110 12.60 43.6 30 13.6 63.9 12.3 23.8 A-2-7(0)
47.0 2.150 9.90 74.9 43.5 31.4 66.1 8.8 19.6 A-2-7(1)
18.5 2.002 12.30 80.6 41.7 38.9 57.8 13.7 28.5 A-2-7(4)
25.0 2.090 12.90 77.8 44.2 33.6 54.5 11.2 31.8 A-2-7(4)
38.0 2.149 11.60 77.7 43.3 34.4 68.1 8.7 23.2 A-2-7(2)
23.0 2.067 14.00 66.40 39.30 27.10 54.46 6.67 26.4 A-2-7(2)
35.0 2.130 12.40 56.70 33.00 23.70 61.82 8.18 30 A-2-7(2)
28.0 2.008 13.00 64.50 35.50 29.00 56.27 10.03 33.7 A-2-7(4)
47.0 2.170 10.20 73.70 41.50 32.20 77.18 7.72 15.1 A-2-7(0)
42.0 2.178 12.00 58.60 27.50 31.10 66.14 11.66 22.2 A-2-7(2)
35.0 2.050 12.50 57.70 31.70 26.00 47.23 10.03 24.86 A-2-7(2)
37.0 2.140 13.00 86.30 42.00 44.30 64.53 7.57 25.2 A-2-7(3)
35.5 2.061 13.40 85.80 48.90 36.90 56.54 9.17 29.19 A-2-7(4)
26.0 1.993 14.80 62.50 30.60 31.90 56.17 9.19 32 A-2-7(4)
31.0 2.128 12.40 66.00 37.50 28.50 61.82 8.17 30.01 A-2-7(3)
41.0 2.1 12.3 57.70 34.80 22.90 51.49 10.69 37.82 A-2-7(3)
31.0 2.1 13.6 79.90 43.20 36.70 62.56 6.05 26.09 A-2-7(3)
35.0 2.12 12.5 54.60 38.40 16.20 56.82 8.92 34.26 A-2-7(1)
21.0 1.96 15 79.80 38.50 41.30 60.63 7.88 31.49 A-2-7(4)
14.2 1.91 16.5 59.70 37.30 22.40 65.33 6.93 27.74 A-2-7(1)
49.5 2.16 11 83.70 45.70 38.00 83.54 4.1 12.36 A-2-7(0)
19.3 1.96 16 68.00 43.80 24.20 51.87 9.93 38.2 A-7-5(3)
29.0 2.06 12.4 63.80 39.70 24.10 57.92 8.63 33.45 A-2-7(3)
48.9 2.23 11.5 63.1 42.8 20.3 65.02 7.14 27.84 A-2-7(1)
49.0 2.15 10.6 92.6 62.1 30.5 86.52 2.98 10.5 A-2-7(0)
31.0 2.02 12 85.9 51.9 34 54.31 9.4 36.29 A-7-6(5)
30.0 2.05 14.2 68.7 40.2 28.5 66.45 7.9 25.65 A-2-7(2)
49.5 2.33 9.6 86.8 52.8 34 84.02 4.46 11.52 A-2-7(0)
49.0 2.25 10.1 65.9 38.9 27 68.77 10.27 20.96 A-2-7(1)
carried out from the several trail pits established minerals and organic matter, so that they could be
permitting a close examination of the sampling sites. properly preserved and used latter on.
The samples collected were placed in suitable plastic
containers which were well sealed and transported to 4.1 Sample Collection
the laboratory where they were air—dried and broken
into smaller fragments, care being taken not to reduce In order to have sufficient and reliable data for the
the sizes of the individual particles. The samples were target analysis, laboratory tests conducted on soil
air-dried so as to reduce the excess natural water samples obtained from different localities of Sangme-
content of the soil contained mostly in the clay lima-Mengong. A total of 33 disturbed samples were
collected within a reasonable sampling interval over a
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Geotech Geol Eng
distance of 3300 m. The representative samples standard deviation, variance, median and the range of
selected on the basis of visual identification of a the sample distribution were obtained. Accordingly,
suitable subgrade soil, as such a diversified batch of the thirty three laboratory test results of the indepen-
samples acquired from areas such as; Ngam(a), dent and dependent variables are used in the regression
Ngam(b), Foulassi, about 1 km from Mepho and analysis and it is shown in Table 4. The Pearson
Mepho. The coordinates of the location and sample correlation coefficient between the CBR and soil index
collection points is given in Table 2 as well as the map properties is given in Table 5.
of the area is given in Fig. 2. The profile of the The results of the correlation of CBR with maxi-
collection points is given in Fig. 3. mum dry density, optimum moisture content, percent-
age of gravel and percentage of silt/clay has relatively
4.2 Geotechnical Tests good correlation coefficients i.e. 0.879, - 0.861,
0.629 and - 0.645 respectively. Whereas, the corre-
Preliminary testing was carried out in accordance with lation of CBR with liquid limit, plasticity index,
the BS 1377: 1990 testing specifications. The tests plastic limit and percentage of sand has weak corre-
carried out were the grain size analysis; the Atterberg lation coefficients i.e. 0.189, 0.317, - 0.002 and
limits liquid limit plastic limit. The Modified Proctor - 0.334 respectively. The strength of coarse-grained
test and the determination of the CBR values was also soil has a greater association with the compaction
in accordance with BS 1377:1990. characteristics of the soil. As such, maximum dry
density and optimum moisture content has resulted in
relatively a better correlation with the strength
5 Results and Discussion parameter. However, the correlation with liquid limit,
plasticity index and plastic limit shows a weak
The results of the geotechnical tests are presented in relationship. When performing the regression analysis
Table 3. The results indicate that the soil materials are CBR value is considered a dependent variable while
mostly in the A-2-7 class in accordance with the the index properties and compaction characteristics
ASSHTO classification system, thereby making them are the independent variables.
suitable pavement material. Just one trial pit material
fell in A-7-6 class which is not a good material for 5.1 Simple Linear Regression Analysis
pavement material except upon improvement.
Thereafter the results of the geotechnical tests were A single linear regression analysis was carried out on
analysed with the statistical package for social science thirty-three samples (n = 33) and the developed
software (SPSS) to investigate the significance of models are expressed as follows:
individual regressor variables. Prior to performing the
analysis details of the descriptive statistics—mean,
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A. Model 1: Correlation between CBR and Maxi- The Pearson’s correlation coefficient (R) obtained for
mum Dry Density (MDD) this soil type indicates that maximum dry density is a
The regression analysis after correlating CBR with very good predictor for soaked CBR.
MDD is expressed by the following single linear B. Model 2: Correlation between CBR and Optimum
equation with its corresponding coefficients is given moisture content (OMC)
by Eq. 1 and is shown in Fig. 4.
The regression analysis after correlating CBR with
CBR ¼ 175:006 þ 99:869 MDD ð1Þ OMC is expressed by the following single linear Eq. 2
With R = 0.879, R2 = 0.772. Therefore 77.2% of the and is shown in Fig. 5.
variance in CBR can accounted for by maximum dry CBR ¼ 99:086 5:162 OMC ð2Þ
density. The details of the statistical out-put indicates 2
that the relationship developed between maximum dry with R = 0.861, R = 0.741. Therefore 74.1% of the
density and CBR is statistically significant (a \ 0.05). variance in CBR can be accounted for by optimum
moisture content. The details of the statistical out-put
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The regression analysis after correlating CBR with Correlation between CBR and percentage of clay or
percentage of clay or silt fraction is expressed by the silt, maximum dry density, optimum moisture content
following single linear equation with its corresponding and percentage of gravel was carried out. The
coefficients, and is given by Eq. 8 and shown in Fig. 7. regression model obtained is a single linear expression
with its corresponding coefficients as given by Eq. 10.
CBR ¼ 58:350 0:897 %CLAY=SILT ð8Þ
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Geotech Geol Eng
CBR ¼ 59:297 þ 54:293 MDD 2:342 OMC between percentage of clay or silt, maximum dry
þ 0:138 %gravel þ 0:018 %clay=silt density (MDD), optimum moisture content (OMC),
percentage of gravel and CBR is significant
ð10Þ
(a \ 0.05).
with R = 0.910, R2 = 0.828 and Adj R2 = 0.803. Thus C. Model 11
82.8% of the variance in CBR can be accounted for by
the independent variables. The details of the statistical The correlation between CBR with maximum dry
output indicate that the relationship developed density (MDD) and optimum moisture content (OMC)
Table 7 Summary of selected models and equations and their order of significance in terms of both their coefficient of determination
and cost effectiveness
Model Description Regression equation Order of
significance
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Geotech Geol Eng
was carried out. The regression model obtained is a with R = 0.905, R2 = 0.819 and Adj R2 = 0.807. Thus
single linear expression with its corresponding coef- 81.9% of the variance in CBR can be accounted for by
ficients as given by Eq. 11. the independent variables. The details of the statistical
CBR ¼ 61:082 þ 60:233 MDD 2:462 OMC output indicate that the relationship developed
ð11Þ between percentage of clay or silt, maximum dry
density (MDD), optimum moisture content (OMC)
and CBR is significant (a \ 0.05).
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6 Interpretations
60.0
50.0
CBR
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33
Trial pit number
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Geotech Geol Eng
experimental CBR and predicted CBR and is shown in Fig. 9. There is a mismatch between the two curves
Fig. 8. The straight line represents the point at which observed at pit number 7, 25, 28, 32. This is may be
experimental CBR equals predicted CBR. Nearly all attributed to errors when carrying out the laboratory
points are found closer to the straight line. Only about tests. The graph shows a variation between the two
four points tend to deviate away from the line. This is CBR values. Generally, both graphs follow the same
indicative that the predicted CBR values, may be pattern. The percentage variation for each of the
applied for preliminary characterization of the sample’s CBR value is obtained from the Eq. 13.
strength of the subgrade soil into uniform section. Fur-
%Variation ¼ CBRpred CBRact 100=CBRact
thermore, a comparison graph is plotted to verify the
suitability of the developed correlation as shown in ð13Þ
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Geotech Geol Eng
Table 10 Comparison of CBR values generated by Yildirm and Gunaydin (2011), Satyanarayna Reddy and Pavani (2006), Agarwal
and Ghanekar (1970), De Graft-Johnson and Bhatia (1969)
Experimental Model 11 Agarwal and De Graft-Johnson and Satyanarayana Reddy and Yildirim and
CBR Ghanekar (1970) Bhatia (1969) Pavani (2006) Gunaydin (2011)
where CBRpred = Predicted CBR value and generated by Satyanarayana Reddy and Pavani (2006)
CBRact = Actual CBR value. and Yildirim and Gunaydin (2011), model 11 give
The percentage variation between the Actual and values of CBR closer to the experimental CBR values
predicted CBR upon using Eq. 13 is given in Table 9. whereas the models generated by Agarwal and
The average percentage variation obtained from the Ghanekar (1970), De Graft-Johnson and Bhatia
model is 1.68%, which is a good value proving that the (1969) are not suitable for predicting CBR in the
predicted values of CBR are not far from the study area. This can be explained by the difference in
experimental values. In comparison with the models lithology i.e. the non-homogeneity of lateritic soils in
both Central and West Africa as typified by the works
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of De Graft-Johnson and Bhatia (1969) as shown in climosequence in the humid tropical zone of Cameroon.
Table 10. Hence the need for an in-depth study of the Open Geol J 7:14–30
BS 1377 (1990) Methods of testing soils for civil engineering
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