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Correlation Between California Bearing Ratio (CBR) and Angle of Repose of

Granular Soil

Article  in  Electronic Journal of Geotechnical Engineering · August 2016

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Hamzah M. Beakawi Al-Hashemi Ahmed H. Bukhary

University of Bahrain Maeen Engineering Consultancy
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 Correlation Between California Bearing
Ration (CBR) and Angle of Repose of
Granular Soil
Hamzah M. Al-Hashemi*, Ahmed H. Bukhary
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, King Fahd University of
Petroleum and Minerals.
Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia.
*e-mail: g201552950@kfupm.edu.sa

ABSTRACT
The strength of subgrade is a predominant factor in the design of Highways. One of the methods to
determine the subgrade strength is the well-known California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test. CBR test is
grueling and prolonged, thence a method for correlating CBR value with a soil physical property is
proposed. Since the Angle of Repose is one of the physical properties of soil and is relatively easy to
determine, it is considered as the correlating factor. The Angle of Repose is determined from the
Hollow Cylinder test. In this study, diverse soils samples are collected from various locations within
the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Laboratory soaked CBR, Gradation Analysis, and Hollow
Cylinder tests were performed on the samples. Thereafter, linear relationship between the Angle of
Repose and CBR value of the samples is initiated and scrutinized using simple linear regression
analysis (SLRA), and furthermore, predictive equation estimating CBR from Angle of Repose value is
developed.
KEYWORDS: Soaked CBR, Angle of Repose, SLRA, Correlation, Subgrade, Highways

INTRODUCTION
Soil properties are predominant factors that affect all civil engineering projects such as highways,
dams, tunnels and other structures. A competent ground layer is crucial for both stability and
serviceability of any structure. Subsequently, an appropriate understanding and analysis of soil are
required to ensure that the structure remains safe against subsurface failures. The Heterogeneous
nature of the soil makes its behavior vary noticeably from site to another. Hence, exhaustive planned
investigation for each site is a must for design purpose. Saudi highways system usually comprises of
flexible pavement. Different flexible pavement design approaches have existed. The CBR test is an
empirical method to design the flexible pavement [1]. The bearing capacity of subgrade soil has a
significant role in highway design, especially, in determining the thickness of the pavement [2].
Namely, the lower the subgrade CBR value, the thicker the pavement. CBR values can be obtained
directly from a laboratory test in accordance with [3].
The drawbacks associated with performing a soaked CBR test including the long time consumed
which may reach a week, making the CBR test costly, prolonged, and grueling. Therefore, only
limited number of CBR tests are usually conducted along a proposed highway [4]. As a result, such
limited number of CBR tests may not commonly divulge the variance in CBR values along a

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 Vol. 21 [2016], Bund. 17 5656

proposed highway to ensure reasonable, safe and frugal design. To conquer these challenges, an
endeavor has been made in the current study to correlate the soaked CBR value statistically to the
Angle of Repose. The test to determine the Angle of Repose is much easier than CBR test and can be
conducted in laboratory in accordance with [5] method, which was improved lately by [6], and known
as the Hollow Cylinder test. Alternatively, the Angle of Repose can be determined from a laboratory
test in accordance with [7] or [8] which is known as Funnel test. [9] Reported that the angle of repose
of a granular material is the steepest angle of descent or dip relative to the horizontal plane to which a
material can be filed without slumping. In other words, it is the angle which accumulated material
forms with the horizontal [6]. [10] Defined it as the maximum slope inclination at which the soil is
barely stable. It is affected by the morphology of the material, solvents, and other factors. Usually, the
Angle of Repose is almost equal to the critical internal friction angle of the material [11].
Geotechnically, the Angle of Repose has many application fields, such as slope stability and the
design of retaining structures [12]. Generally, for sand, the angle of repose ranges from 300 to 350,
[13]; [14].

EXPERIMENTAL WORK
17 disturbed soil samples were collected from different locations within the Eastern Province of
Saudi Arabia. All of these samples were subjected to soaked CBR, Gradation Analysis, and Angle of
Repose tests in accordance with [3], [15] or [16], and [6], respectively. It must be pointed out that for
soaked CBR and Angle of Repose tests, the maximum particle size of the tested material was less
than 19 mm (≈0.75 in).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Experimental Program Results
Table 1 summarizes the results of soaked CBR, soil classification, and Angle of Repose tests
from performed in the laboratory on the 17 non-plastic soil samples. CBR tests were performed at the
optimum moisture content. As can be seen from the table, the soaked CBR values range between 13.4
-34.9 %, and the Angle of Repose values lie within 23.70 - 34.70°.

Table 1: Laboratory Test Results of Soil Samples.

Passing Angle of
SAND USCS Soaked CBR
SN Location Sieve#4 Repose
% Classification (%)
% (Degrees)
1 Tanajeeb 96.10 81.60 SM 26.10 30.50
2 Tanajeeb 95.10 78.10 SM 34.90 34.70
3 Tanajeeb 98.60 85.20 SM 32.50 32.80
4 Tanajeeb 97.50 86.20 SP-SM 30.30 31.30
5 Ain Dar 85.40 82.30 SP 21.50 25.70
6 Ain Dar 55.80 53.40 SP 27.60 29.10
7 Ain Dar 67.70 62.90 SP 20.70 27.40
8 Uthmaniyah 86.80 74.10 SM 25.50 29.30
 Vol. 21 [2016], Bund. 17 5657

Table 1 (Cont’d): Laboratory Test Results of Soil Samples.

Passing Angle of
SAND USCS Soaked CBR
SN Location Sieve#4 Repose
% Classification (%)
% (Degrees)
9 Hawiyah 81.80 45.20 SC-SM 31.10 32.00
10 Hawiyah 83.00 45.10 SM 30.20 30.60
11 Hawiyah 50.10 37.70 GM 19.50 26.00
12 Shedgum 65.90 48.00 SM 17.80 24.20
13 Shedgum 30.00 22.20 GP-GM 17.80 23.70
Udhailiy
14 99.60 98.00 SP 17.90 26.70
ah
Udhailiy
15 100.00 97.10 SP 13.40 26.40
ah
Udhailiy
16 100.00 97.90 SP 13.90 24.80
ah
17 Shedgum 98.50 92.40 SP-SM 21.30 27.80

Experimental Program Results

The results of the experimental program were incorporated into SPSS software program, and
simple linear regression analysis (SLRA) with the stepwise method is used to establish a regression
model for estimating the value of soaked CBR from the Angle of Repose. Figure 1 illustrates linear
trend line between soaked CBR and Angle of Repose values. The value of soaked CBR is considered
as a dependent variable, while Angle of Repose value is selected to be the independent variable.
Subsequently, a correlation between soaked CBR and Angle of Repose values is developed.

40.00

35.00

30.00
Soaked CBR, %

25.00

20.00

15.00

10.00

5.00
20.00 25.00 30.00 35.00 40.00
Angle of Repose, Degrees

Figure 1: Correlation between Angle of Repose and Soaked CBR.

 Vol. 21 [2016], Bund. 17 5658

The adjusted correlation coefficient (R2) was found to be 0.851. The Figure clearly shows that soaked
CBR is directly proportional to Angle of Repose. In general, as Angle of Repose increases CBR value
increases. Furthermore, correlation reliability is tested through various statistical approaches such as:
ANOVA, t-test, and Durbin-Watson. All of these tests confirmed the correlation significance.

Table 2: Descriptive Statistics.

No. of
Variable Mean Std. Deviation
Samples (N)
CBR, % 23.65 6.663 17
B*, Degrees 28.41 3.211 17
*B: refers to the angle of repose.

Table 3: ANOVA Test.

Sum of
Item df Mean Square F Sig.
Squares
Regression 610.991 1 610.991 92.340 0.000
Residual 99.252 15 6.617 - -
Total 710.242 16 - - -

Table 4: Coefficients.
95.0% Confidence
Unstandardized Interval for B Durbin-
Item Std. Error t Sig.
Coefficients Lower Upper Watson
Bound Bound
(Constant) -31.033 5.724 -5.421 0.000 -43.234 -18.832
0.957
B 1.925 .200 9.609 0.000 1.498 2.351

Tables 2 through 4 show the statistical details of the regression model. While the correlation
between the soaked CBR and Angle of Repose can be expressed as:

𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 (%) = 1.925(𝐵𝐵) − 31.033 (1)

where B= Angle of Repose in degrees, R2= 0.851, Std. error of the estimate = 2.572. The predicted
soaked CBR values are fairly close to the experimental values (Figure 2).
 Vol. 21 [2016], Bund. 17 5659

Experimental Predicted

40.00
35.00

Soaked CBR, % 30.00

25.00
20.00
15.00
10.00
5.00
20.00 25.00 30.00 35.00 40.00
Angle of Repose, Degrees

Figure 2: Comparison between Predicted and Experimental Soaked CBR Values.

CONCLUSIONS
Based on the linear regression analysis and experimental works conducted in this study, there is a
high positive correlation between soaked CBR and Angle of Repose values. An empirical relation
between the soaked CBR and Angle of Repose (B) is derived from regression analysis, equation (1):
Soaked CBR (%) = 1.925B - 31.033 ; (R2= 0.851). The relationship shows reasonably fitting
between the predicted and experimental soaked CBR values. In general, as Angle of Repose increases
CBR value increases.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Authors would like to express their thanks and appreciation for Saudi Aramco for providing
the soil samples. Thanks also are to be extended to King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
(KFUPM) for support in conducting laboratory tests.

REFERENCES
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Pavement In Permanent Deformation OF Paved AND Unpaved Roads Over Sand Dunes
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[3] ASTM-D1883, “Standard Test Method for California Bearing Ratio (CBR) of Laboratory
Compacted Soils,” ASTM Int., vol. 04.08, 2016.
[4] N. B. Shirur and S. G. Hiremath, “Establishing Relationship between CBR Value and
Physical Properties of Soil,” IOSR J. Mech. Civ. Eng., vol. 11, no. 5, pp. 26–30, 2014.
 Vol. 21 [2016], Bund. 17 5660

[5] E. Lajeunesse, A. Mangeney-Castelnau, and J. P. Vilotte, “Spreading of a granular mass on a

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[14] R. D. Holtz and W. D. Kovacs, An Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering, Illustrate.
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[17] Kumar, P. Senthil and R. Rajkumar: “Effect of Geotextile on CBR Strength of Unpaved Road
with Soft Subgrade” Electronic Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 2012 (17.J): 1355-
1363. Available at ejge.com.

© 2016 ejge

Editor’s note.
This paper may be referred to, in other articles, as:
Hamzah M. Al-Hashemi, Ahmed H. Bukhary: “Correlation Between
California Bearing Ration (CBR) and Angle of Repose of Granular Soil”
Electronic Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 2016 (21.17), pp 5655-
5660. Available at ejge.com.

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