What is California bearing ratio?

California bearing ratio. The Californian Bearing Ratio (CBR) test is a penetration test used to evaluate the
subgrade strength of roads and pavements. The results of these tests are used with the curves to determine
the thickness of pavement and its component layers.

What is a good CBR value?

What are the typical CBR values? The harder the material, the higher the CBR value. A CBR value of 2% is
usually found for clay, high-quality sub-base will have CBR values between 80% and 100%, and some
sands may have values around 10%. The CBR testing can be applied to soils with a maximum particle size
of 20 mm.

Why CBR test is important?

California Bearing Ratio or CBR property of soil is extremely important in road construction because
this CBR value is an indication of whether or not the soil can bear such load. CBR is an indication of
strength (In layman's term, more the CBR, stronger the soil and less likely to settle under vehicular loads).

How is soil compaction measured?

Soil compaction occurs below the surface, so it's hard to spot. The best way to test is to probe the soil with
a compaction tester to a depth of 36" to 48". The testing rod should move down through the soil with steady,
even pressure, Hard, compacted soils resist penetration with the rod.

What does 95% compaction mean?

For example, specifications often require compaction to be 95 percent of Standard Proctor. This means the
on-site soil density must be equal to 95% of the maximum achievable compaction. • Compaction is achieved
by applying three basic types of force to the soil mass.

What is MDD test?

The Proctor compaction test is a laboratory method of experimentally determining the optimal moisture
content at which a given soil type will become most dense and achieve its maximum dry density.

What is bearing capacity of soil?

In geotechnical engineering, bearing capacity is the capacity of soil to support the loads applied to the
ground. The bearing capacity of soil is the maximum average contact pressure between the foundation and
the soil which should not produce shear failure in the soil.

What is a shear failure?

When the shear stress on an object exceeds the maximum permissible shear stress, then the object undergoes
a failure known as shear failure. Shear failure can be defined as a failure that takes place due to insufficiency
of shear resistance available between the materials.

From point of failure of soils, there are two types of stresses which acts on a soil mass.
1) Normal stress which acts normal to the plane and is of compressive nature as soil does not experience any
tensile forces.
2) Shear stress which acts parallel to the surface of the soil mass and tends to slide or slip that soil mass
from rest of the soil mass. When this shear stress exceeds the shear strength of a soil then it is called
the shear failure for that soil element.
In a Canal :

Foundations :

Note: shear strength is the resistance provided by the soil against the shear stresses acting on it.
Now how we indicate a shear failure?
In a short way, when the intensity of loading exceeds the safe bearing capacity of a soil then shear failure
occurs or we can say when the Mohr’s circle plotted according to different magnitudes of shear and normal
stresses goes beyond the Strength envelope or Mohr failure envelope then Failure of soil mass occurs.
Just for a random example
Shear strength :
In engineering, shear strength is the strength of a material or component against the type
of yield or structural failure when the material or component fails in shear. A shear load is a force that tends
to produce a sliding failure on a material along a plane that is parallel to the direction of the force. When a
paper is cut with scissors, the paper fails in shear.
In structural and mechanical engineering, the shear strength of a component is important for designing the
dimensions and materials to be used for the manufacture or construction of the component
(e.g. beams, plates, or bolts). In a reinforced concrete beam, the main purpose of reinforcing bar (rebar)
stirrups is to increase the shear strength.
CBR for sub-grade
CBR for improved subgrade
CBR for Sub-base
CBR for base coarse
CBR for surface coarse
What is the CBR value for subgrade?
The material can be removed and replaced with a more suitable material. The thickness replaced is typically
between 0.5m and 1.0m. Irrespective of the quality of the new material a CBR value of just under 2% should
be assumed for the subgrade

What is CBR value for Sub-base?

Typically, a value of 2% equates to clay, while some sands may have a CBR value of 10%. High
quality sub-base will have a value of between 80-100% (maximum).

CBR value for base-course in roadworks. I would like to find out if an unsoaked CBR value can exceed
100% for a base-course material: maximum size aggregate 37.5mmm and having a continuous grading
curve, sourced from a borrow pit. Technical specifications impose a value of minimum 80% for base-course.