STABILIZATION OF

UNSUITABLE EMBANKMENT
CUTTING MATERIAL FOR USE
OF ROAD SHOULDERS

Eng Mangala De Silva

Resident Engineer
Egis-CEA JV
Integrated Road Investment Programme- PIC 3
Rathnapura District
 Back Ground
 Most of the roads in I- road project in Rathnapura District run through hilly terrain with sharp
bends and the existing width of the roads are very narrow. Hence , road construction involves
lot of embankment cutting and embankment filling.
 It has been identified that approximately 120,000 m3 of unsuitable soil in road way excavation
have to be deposed to disposal yards and it creates so many environmental hazard and
approval to be taken for transportation and dumping the excavated soil and reinstatement of
same is also very difficult.
 Nearly, around 25% of the total road length has gravel road base and due to the weak existing
condition, it has to be strengthen with overlaying Sub base and final requirement of Sub Base
and Shoulder material has been identified approximately 150,000 m3.
 The contractors lay ABC approximately 400 mm beyond the designed road width and
additional ABC to be removed prior to shoulder construction and ABC mixed with soil , can
not be used for the road pavement construction . The wastage of ABC is approximately 15%
of the requirements due to the contractors methodology of laying ABC without following
standard Box method.
 Hence, the contractors face 2 main problems of finding huge amount of soil and disposing
huge amount of excavated soil and further , it is very difficult to get the approval for disposal
site and functioning a borrow pit also.
 Finally, to overcome from these issues, reusing of excavated soil was proposed.
Objectives

Main Objective : Stabilization of Unsuitable soil in Road Way Excavation by Mixing with ABC to
use as Sub Base or Shoulder material for permanent work to have the following advantages.

 Reduction of excavation and transport of shoulder material from borrow areas.

 Economical Benefits from unsuitable excavated materials.

 Reduction of number of disposal yards.

 Reuse of unusable ABC removed from the side of road pavement.

 Recovery of losses from unusable ABC.

 Minimize of Environmental Problem due to excavation, transport and disposal.

Shoulder Material Stabilization Techniques
Mechanical Stabilization
 Compaction : use heavy / different
rollers , improves aggregate inter
locking, reduce air voids/moisture
ingress/pore connectivity.
 Geosynthetics: Fabrics/grid
polymer used, improve the
structural integrity of pavement
 Blending : Mixing material of different
properties , improve strength/Plasticity,
better gradation.
. pozzolanic reaction of soils.
Chemical Stabilization
 Cement stabilization :Hydrated calcium
and alumina silicate joint together and
bind soil particles increasing tensile and
compressive strength, calcium
hydroxide reduce the plasticity.
 Lime stabilization : slow development of
strength, clay mineral structure broken
down forming calcium aluminate and
silicate hydrates which have similar
cementing property of portland cement.
 Fly Ash and Kiln dust : in presence of
water hydration reaction leading to

Consistency Limit for the Shoulder Materials (ICTAD-SCA/5 2009)

Liquid Limit (LL) Plastic Index(PI) Other

Wet Zone <55 Wet Zone 4-25 4 day CBR > 15
Grading compiled with
Dry Zone < 55 Dry Zone 6-25 Upper/Lower boundaries
Methodology

The mechanical Blending of unsuitable soil with ABC was adapted for stabilization
 Check the properties of unsuitable soil (LL,PI,MDD,CBR, Gradation).
 Check the properties of trial mix, blended with ABC (LL,PI,MDD,CBR, Gradation).
 Selected most appropriate trial mix, to comply with specification.
 Transport unsuitable excavated soil and unusable ABC to mixing yard and stocked in
piles.
 Uniformly mix soil and ABC in design proportion (Spreading/Pulverization/mixing) by
a Mini Excavator and a JCB.
 Check the properties of the blended final mix (LL,PI,MDD,CBR, Gradation).
 Transport the blended mix to site and compact shoulder as specified.
 Carry out the compaction test.
 Examination of performances during PBM period.
 Trial Mix Testing and Results( Laboratory)

 The trail mixers were Road No R-02

Road Name Palamkotta Junction to Ambalama via Nawinna Henaaggegoda
carried out in RDID 02, Sample Chainage 6+117 RHS
Slope 10% 20% 30% 40% Sub Base Shoulder
RDID 01,RDID 26 in cutting ABC ABC ABC ABC (specificatio (specificatio
soil Mix Mix Mix Mix n Limit) n Limit)
Contract Package R3 in
Liquid Limit (LL) 54 48 43 38 35 ≤40 ≤55
Rathnapura District. Plasticity Index (PI) 20 17 15 12 10 ≤15 6≤PI≤25
Maximum Dry Density (g/cm3) 1.745 1.891 1.962 2.038 2.200 ≥ 1.75 ≥ 1.65
 The mix proportions of Optimum Moisture Content (%) 21.9 15.0 12.3 10.1 8.7 - -
CALIFORNIA BEARING RATIO
ABC are 10%,20%, 30%, TEST (98%)
5 17 25 46 113 ≥ 30 ≥ 15

SIEVE ANALYSIS
40% for unsuitable slop
mm

cutting soil. 50 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100-100 100-100

37.5 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 80-100 100-100
 Trial mixes are tested 20 100.0 92.4 90.5 85.8 73.8 60-100 77-100
5 93.1 63.0 60.2 53.4 47.6 30-100 41-100
for LL,PI, CBR,MDD and 1.18 74.6 56.5 53.5 47.0 37.0 17-75 30-80
0.3
gradation. 59.3 40.8 39.0 33.9 26.8 9-50 18-50
0.075 39.3 30.1 25.0 21.6 16.8 5-25 5-25
 Lab Testing Cont…
PLASTIC INDEX VS ABC %- RD 02
LIQUID LIMIT VS ABC –RD 02
RD 02 Upper limit RD 02 Upper limit Lower limit
60
30
50

PLASTIC INDEX
25
LIQUID LIMIT

40
20
30
15
20
10
10
5
0 0
0 10 20 30 40 0 10 20 30 40
ABC % ABC %

ABC % RD 01 RD 02 RD 26 Upper limit ABC % RD 01 RD 02 RD 26 Upper limit Lower limit

0 57 54 51 55 0 23 20 27 25 6
10 48 55 10 17 25 6
20 43 43 45 55 20 13 15 13 25 6
30 41 38 55 30 12 12 25 6
40 33 35 38 55 40 9 10 13 25 6
Note : Minimum percentage of ABC complied with LL & PI is 20% in RD ID -02 and
ABC 10 % mix is not considered for RD 01, RD 26
 Lab Testing Cont…

Grading curves for trail mix for sample at Ch 6+117km in RDID 02

Upper Limit Lower Limit 10% ABC 20%ABC 30%ABC 40%ABC Unsuitable soil

100
Percentage Passing (%)

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
0.010 0.100 Sieve Size (mm) 1.000 10.000 100.000

Note : 20% ABC mix &30%ABC mix within the Range

 Lab Testing Cont…

CALIFORNIA BEARING RATIO- 4 day soak CBR (98 %

Compaction)
120 113 Type LL PI Gradation CBR
100
Unsuitable soil X X X X
80 72
CBR VALUE

60
10% ABC X √ X X
46
40 32
25
20% ABC √ √ √ √
21 24 22
17
20
4 5 5 30% ABC √ √ √ √
0
RD ID 01 RDID 02 RD ID 26 40% ABC √ √ X √
ROAD ID

Unsuitable soil 10% ABC 20% ABC 30%ABC 40% ABC

Summary of Result for RD ID -02
Application of Techniques and insitu test results
• 20% ABC Mix
RD ID 01 • Shoulder Length 6.6Km RD ID 10
• 20% ABC Mix
• Shoulder Length 4Km
• 20% ABC Mix
RD ID 02 • Shoulder Length 10.1Km
• 20% & 30% ABC Mix
RD ID 27 • Shoulder Length 3.5
Km
• 20% ABC Mix
RD ID 26 • Shoulder Length 5Km

• Gradation
• Attterberg
Before Moisture After Compaction(Dry
Stock Pile Limits
Compaction Content(MC) Compaction Density/MC)
• MDD &MC
• CBR
 Stock Pile test results
ADB FUNDED REHABILITATION / IMPROVEMENTS OF 81 KM RURAL ROADS IN THE
RR RATNAPURA DISTRICT - CONTRACT 3 (R3) RR ADB FUNDED REHABILITATION / IMPROVEMENTS OF 81 KM RURAL ROADS IN
THE RATNAPURA DISTRICT - CONTRACT 3 (R3)

CONSULTANT CONTRACTOR
CONSULTANT CONTRACTOR
Egis-CEA JV RR CONSTRUCTION (PVT) LTD
Egis-CEA JV RR CONSTRUCTION (PVT) LTD
SIEVE ANALYSIS
DETERMINATION OF ATTERBERG LIMITS
Sample No R3/RR/SH-151 Date of sampling 04.01.2017
(AASHTO T 89 & T 90)
Type of material Shoulder Date of testing 06.01.2017
R2,3+000 RHS Stock Pile ,Pile-12, Sample No R3/RR/SH-151 Date of Sampling 04-01-2017
Source
Location ABC 20% Blended With R-02,Slope R2,3+000 RHS Stock Pile ,Pile-12,
Cutting2552.5 Location / Chainage Date of Testing 06-01-2017
Wt. of O/Dsample B / W (g) : Wt. of O/D sample A/ W (g) : 2333.9 ABC 20% Blended With R-02,Slope Cutting

32

31

30 LL-28

Moisture content (% )
29
PI -7
28

27

26

25
10 25 100
Number of blows

Liquid Limit LL= 28 % Plasticity Index (PI) = 7 %

Plastic Limit PL= 21 % (LL-PL)
 Stock pile test results Cont…
Sample No: R3/RR/SH-151
ADB FUNDED REHABILITATION / IMPROVEMENTS OF 81 KM RURAL ROADS IN Sampling Location: R2,3+000 RHS Stock Pile ,Pile-12, ABC 20% Blended With R-02,Slope Cutting
RR THE RATNAPURA DISTRICT - CONTRACT 3 (R3)
CBR Vs Dry Density

CONSULTANT CONTRACTOR
95.0
Egis-CEA JV RR CONSTRUCTION (PVT) LTD
90.0
DRY DENSITY - MOISTURE CONTENT RELATIONSHIP
85.0
( AASHTO - T 180)
80.0
Sample No. R3/RR/SH-151 Date of Sampling 04-01-2016
R2,3+000 RHS Stock Pile ,Pile-12, 75.0
Location/Chainage Date of Testing 06-01-2017
95%, CBR-34
ABC 20% Blended With R-02,Slope Cutting
70.0
Type of Material : Shoulder Source
65.0

Maximum Dry Density (g/cm3 ) 2.178 Optimum Moisture Content (%) 7.2
60.0

CBR %
2.190 MDD-2198 Kg/m3 55.0

2.170 OMC- 7.2% 50.0

Dry Density(g/cm³)

2.150 45.0

2.130
40.0
2.110
35.0
2.090
30.0
2.070

2.050 25.0

2.030 20.0
4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0 12.0 2.000 2.050 2.100 2.150 2.200 2.250
Moisture Content(%) Dry Density(g/cm3)

Dry Density
% Compaction (g/cm3) CBR %
93% 2.026
95% 2.069 34.0
98% 2.134 58.0
 Photo Graphs after shoulder construction

Ch. 1+1600 Ch. 6+650 Ch. 0+127 Ch. 0+580

Weddagala~Kudawa~Wew Palamkotte to Ambalama Rilladola Bogaha Asala to Rilladola Bogaha Asala to

agama Road– (Road No.10) Road– (Road No.02) Gabbela Road– (Road Gabbela Road– (Road
10 month after 6 month after construction No.26) No.26)
construction 08 month after construction 08 month after construction
Observations

 No Visible soil erosion in shoulder.

 The slight erosion in higher gradient and construction of scupper drains and
grass sodding at selected places are provided to reduce shoulder erosion in
hilly terrains.
 No Surface cracking.
 No Base Failure.
 No tyre Marks.
 No Puddling during rains.
 The shoulder are getting dried in short period.
Conclusions and Recommendation

The stabilization of unsuitable soil in roadway exaction with ABC is an alternative

solution for the shoulder material and contractors can reduce their shoulder
construction material cost and may have relief of finding borrow pits and disposal
yards.

This gives a both environmental and economical benefits.

This same procedure can be adopted in improving sub base material too with trials.

It was recommended to mix average 20% - 30% ABC to unsuitable soil to get the
required properties for Shoulder material in R3 contract Package. However ,the mix
proportion could vary according to original properties of excavated soil.

As this process has shown satisfactory results and benefits in pavement

construction, the same can be proposed not only for iROADS but for other RDA
projects also, where availability of suitable materials is a major problem.
Thank you.