EXPERIMENT 1: CALIFORNIA BEARING RATIO TEST (CBR) (BS 1377: PART 4)

INTRODUCTION:
The test is an empirical test which gives an indication of the shear strength of a soil. The great value of
this test is that it is comparatively easy to perform and because of its wide use throughout the world, there
is a vast amount of data to assist with the interpretation of results. The CBR test is essentially a laboratory
test but in some instances the test is carried out on the soil in-situ.
The laboratory CBR test consists essentially of preparing a sample of soil in a cylindrical steel mould and then
forcing a cylindrical steel plunger, of nominal diameter 50 mm, into the sample at a controlled rate, whilst
measuring the force required to penetrate the sample.

Preparation of remoulded samples for the CBR test can be made in several ways.
However, commonly used methods are described here:

(1) Static compression

(2) Dynamic compaction by
(a) using 2.5 or 4.5 kg rammer and
(b) using vibrating hammer.

OBJECTIVE:

1. To determine the California bearing ratio by conducting a load penetration test in the laboratory. 
2. Tests are carried out on natural or compacted soils in water soaked or un-soaked conditions and
the results so obtained are compared with the curves of standard test to have an idea of the soil
strength of the subgrade soil.

APPARATUS:

a. Test sieves of aperture sizes 20 mm and 5 mm.

b. A cylindrical, corrosion-resistant, metal mould, i.e. the CBR mould, having a nominal internal
diameter of 152±0.5 mm. The mould shall be fitted with a detachable base-plate and a removable
extension. The internal faces shall be smooth, clean and dry before each use.
c. A compaction rammer, weigh 2.5kg or 4.5kg depending on the degree of compaction required.
d. A balance, capable of weighing up to 25kg readable to 5g.
e. Drying oven, 105-110c
f. Measuring cylinder: 500ml-250ml
g. Large metal tray
h. Apparatus for moisture content determination
i. Filter papers, 150mm in diameter
j. Steel straightedge, 300mm long
k. Rubber pestle and mortar
l. Small tools: scoop, trowel, spatula

MATERIALS:
About 6kg of soil passing a 20mm diameter test sieve shall be prepared for each sample to be tested.
PROCEDURE:

Preparation of mould

a. The mould is weighed with baseplate attached to the nearest 5 g (m2).

b. The internal dimensions is measured to 0.5 mm
c. The extension collar is attach to the mould and covered the base-plate with a filter paper.

Test Procedure

a. The base-plate is removed from the mould and replace it with the perforated base-plate.
b. The collar is fitted to the other end of the mould, packing the screw threads with petroleum jelly to
obtain a watertight joint.
c. The mould is placed assembly in the empty soaking tank. A filter paper is placed on top of the sample,
followed by the perforated swell plate. The required number of annular surcharge discs fitted around
the stem on the perforated plate.
d. The dial gauge is mounted as support on top of the extension collar, the dial gauge secured in place
and adjusted the stem on the perforated plate to give a convenient zero reading.
e. The apparatus is then placed in a tank of clean water and the sample is kept submerged for 4 days and
the dial gauge is read every 24 hours. The difference between the initial and final dial gauge reading
gives the swell, S.The % swell is given by :

% Swell =S/127.0 x 100 = S/1.27%

Where, S is in mm.

f. On completion of soaking surplus water is wiped from the sample which is reweighed. The difference
in weights before and after soaking is the weight of water absorbed, Ww. The % of water absorbed is
given by:

% Water absorbed = Mw (100 +m₂)/ Wm %

Where Wm is original weight of sample and m2 is

g. The dial gauge and its support took off, the mould assembly is removed from the immersion tank and
the sample allowed to drain for 15 min. If the tank is fitted with a mesh platform the mould should
leave there to drain after emptying the tank. If water remains on the top of the sample after draining it
should be carefully siphoned off.
h. The surcharge discs, perforated plate and extension collar are removed. The perforated base-plate and
refit the original base-plate are also removed.
i. The sample with mould and base-plate to the nearest 5 g is removed if the density after soaking is
required.
j. If the sample has swollen, trim it level with the end of the mould and reweigh.
k. The sample is then ready for test in the soaked condition.

PENETRATION TEST PROCEDURE

APPARATUS:

a. A cylindrical metal plunger, the lower end of which shall be of hardened steel and have a nominal
cross-sectional area of 1935 mm2, corresponding to a specified diameter of 49.65±0.10 mm. A
convenient size would be approximately 250 mm long.
b. Loading machine shall be capable of applying at least 45kN at a rate of penetration of the plunger of 1
mm/min to within 0.2mm/min
 c. A long ring or proving ring. The device shall be supported by the cross-head of the compression
machine so as to prevent its own weight being transferred to the test specimen.
d. A dial gauge with 25mm travel, reading to 0.01mm and fitted to a bracket attached to the plunger.
e. A stop clock or stopwatch readable to 1s
f. Surcharge discs.

PROCEDURE:

a. The mould is placed with base-plate containing the sample, with the top face of the sample exposed,
centrally on the lower platen of the testing machine.
b. The appropriate annular surcharge discs is placed on top of the sample.
c. The cylindrical plunger and force-measuring device assembly is fitted into place with the face of the
plunger resting on the surface of the sample. Make sure that the proving ring dial gauge is properly
adjusted, i.e. that there is no daylight between the bottom of the stem and the proving ring anvil.
d. Apply a seating force to the plunger, depending on the expected CBR value, as follows:
For CBR value up to 5% apply 10 kN
For CBR value from 5% to 30%, apply 50 kN
For CBR value up to 30% apply 250 kN
e. The reading of the force-measuring device is recored as the initial zero reading (because the seating
force is not taken into account during the test) or reset the force measuring to read zero.
f. The penetration dial gauge is secured in position. Initial zero reading is recorded, or reset it to read
zero. Make sure that all connections between plunger, crosshead, proving ring and penetration dial
gauge assembly are tight.
g. The test is started so that the plunger penetrates the sample at the uniform rate of 1±0.2 mm/min, and
at the same instant start the timer.
h. Readings of the force gauge is recorded at intervals of penetration of 0.25 mm to a total penetration
not exceeding 7.5 mm.
i. After completing the penetration test or tests, the moisture content of the test sample is measured as
follows:
I. For a cohesive soil containing no gravel-sized particles and before extruding the sample
from the mould, take a sample of about 350 g from immediately below each penetrated surface,
but do not include filling material used to make up the first end tested. Determine the moisture
content of each sample.
II. For a cohesion less soil or a cohesive soil containing gravel-sized particles, extrude the
complete sample, break it in half and determine the moisture contents of the upper and lower
halves separately.

DATA ANALYSIS & CALCULATIONS:

1. Volume of mould, Vᵐ (cmᶾ): 2304.52 cmᶾ 3. Mass of mould + Soil, W₂: 15660 g

2. Mass of empty of mould, W₁: 8880 g 4. Mass of wet soil, (W₂-W₁): 6780 g

3. Bulk density, (W₂-W₁)/V : 2.94 g/cmᶾ

Dial gauge division: 0.01mm Percent of water: 70%

PENETRATION OF PLUNGER (mm) FORCE GAUGE READING (div) FORCE ON PLUNGER (kN)
0 0 0
0.25 12 6.84
0.50 23 13.11
0.75 39 22.23
1.00 55 31.35
1.25 76 43.32
1.50 89 50.73
1.75 100 57
2.00 112 63.84
2.25 128 72.96
2.50 140 79.8
2.75 151 86.07
3.00 163 92.91
3.25 174 99.18
3.50 183 104.31
3.75 192 109.44
4.00 200 114
4.25 210 119.7
4.50 220 125.4
4.75 228 129.96
5.00 238 135.66
5.25 247 140.79
5.50 255 145.35
5.75 263 149.91
6.00 270 153.9
6.25 275 156.75
6.50 280 159.6
6.75 285 162.45
7.00 289 164.73
7.25 294 167.58
7.50 297 169.29

Moisture content after test

Container No Top Middle Bottom

Mass of wet soil + container (m₂) g 16.21 19.35 16.9
Mass of dry soil + container (m₃) g 14.98 17.82 15.4
Mass of container (m₁) g 5.77 5.75 5.99
Mass of moisture (m₂-m₃) g 1.23 1.53 1.50
Mass of dry soil (m₃-m₁) g 9.21 12.07 9.41
Moisture content, w= (m₂-m₃)/(m₃- 13.35 12.67 15.94
m₁) x 100 %
Average moisture content % 13.99
Dry density 20.55 21.50 17.35
CBR Test Results

Penetration (mm) Measured Force (kN) Standard Force (kN) CBR %

2.5 79.8 1370 5.82

5.0 135.66 2055 6.60

DISCUSSION:

LOAD AGAINST PENETRATION

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

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

FORCE GAUGE READING (div) FORCE ON PLUNGER (kN)

According to the graph of the result, it is not a very smooth curve of the plotted graph. Therefore, adjustment
of the graph should be done in order to have a more accurate result. Also, there is a difference between the
standard CBR value and the experimental value, the possible errors are listed as below:

1. Air void appears in the soil

In realistic, honestly, the volume of the air void cannot be neglected. No matter how the compactio( is
perfect, the air void still exists. Moreover, the size of the aggregates is different, the gap between the
aggregate becomes void. Therefore, the effect of the air void in the experiment cannot be determined
correctly and hence affects the result.

RECOMMENDATION:

1. The CBR tests should be performed on remoulded soils in the laboratory. In – Site tests are not
recommended for design purpose. The specimens should be prepared by static compaction where ever
possible and other wise by dynamic compaction. The standard tesst procedure should be strictly
adhered to.

2. At least three samples should be tested on each 1 type of soil at the same density and moisture content.
If the maximum variation in CBR valves of the three specimens exceeds the specified limits, the
design CBR should be the average of at least six samples
CONCLUSION:

In the experimental, we finally found that the CBR values of soil in 2.50mm and 5.00mm are 5.82% and
6.60% respectively. Generally, the CBR value at 2.50mm penetration should be greater than that at 5.00mm
penetration and is such case takes the value at 2.50mm as the CBR, value. If the CBR value corresponding to a
penetration 5.00mm exceeds that of 2.50mm, we need to repeat the test. But in this case, the value is
acceptable.

APPENDIX: