JOB No.

8
Load Penetration Test
8.1 Experiment:
To determine the California bearing ratio by conducting a load penetration test in the
laboratory"

8.2 Objective:
The California bearing ratio test is penetration test meant for the evaluation of
subgrade strength of roads and pavements. This is the most widely used method for
the design of flexible pavement

8.3 Reference:
IS: 2720 (Part 16) 1979

8.4 Apparatus:
 Moulds 2250cc capacity with base plate stay rod and wing nut.
 Collar Spacer Disc,
 Metal hammer.
 Expansion measuring apparatus with the adjustable stem, perforated plates and tripod.
 Loading machine having a capacity of at least 5000kg and equipped with a movable
head or base that travels at a uniform rate of 1.25mm/min for use in forcing the
penetration plunger in to the specimen.
 Penetration plunger.
 Dial gauge two numbers reading to 0.01mm.
 IS sieves.
 Miscellaneous sports such as mixing bowl, straight edge, scales, soaking a drying on
filter paper, dishes and calibrated measuring jar.

8.5 Related Theory:

California Bearing Ratio:
It is the ratio of force per unit are required to penetrate a soil mass with standard
circular piston at the rate of 1 25 mm/min. so that required for corresponding
penetration of a standard material.

Test Load
CBR = x 100
Standard Load

The following table gives the standard loads adopted for different penetrations for the
standard material with a CBR value of 100%.
 Penetration depth Unit Standard load Total Standard load
(mm) kgf/cm2 (kgf)
2.50 70 1370
5.00 105 2055
7.50 134 2630
10.00 162 3180
12.50 183 3600

Table 8.1: Unit Standard Loads

Undisturbed specimen:
Attach the cutting edge to the mould and push it gently into the ground. Remove the soil
from the outside of the mould which is pushed in. When the mould is full of soil, remove
it from weighing the soil with the mould or by any field method near the spot
Remoulded specimen:
Prepare the remoulded specimen at Proctors maximum dry density or any other density
at which CBR> is required. Maintain the specimen at optimum moisture content or the
field moisture as required. The material used should pass 20 mm sieve but it should be
retained on mm sieve Prepare the specimen dynamic compaction or by static
compaction.

Dynamic Compaction:
Take about to kg of soil thoroughly with the required water. Fix the extension collar and
the plate to the Insert the spacer disc over the base Place the filter paper on the top of the
space
in the mould using either light compaction or heavy. For light compaction, compact the
soil in 3 equal layers, each layer given 55 blows by the 2.6 kg rammer. For heavy
compaction compact the in layers, 56 each layer by the 4.89 kg hammer.
Remove the collar and trim soil

Static compaction:
Calculate the weight of the wet soil at required water content to give density when
occupying the standard specimen volume, the mould the expression;

W = desired dry density x (1 + w) V

Where, W=Weight of the wet soil.
w = Desired water content.
V = Volume of the specimen in the mould (as per the mould available in laboratory).
 Mechanism:
Take the weight W (calculated as above) of the mix soil and place it in the mould. Place
a filter paper and the displacer dice on top of soil. Keep the mould assembly in static
loading frame and compact by pressing the displacer disc till the level of disc reaches the
top of the mould. Keep the load for some time and then release the load. Remove the
displacer disc. The test may be conducted for both soaked as well as un-soaked
conditions. If the sample is to be soaked in both cases of compaction, put filter paper on
the top of the soil and place the adjustable stem and perforated plate on the top of filter
Put annular weights to produce surcharge equal to weight of base material and pavement
expected in actual construction.

8.6 Procedure:
 Normally 3 specimens each of about 5 kg must be compacted so that their compacted
densities range from 95% to 100% generally with 10, 30 and 65 blows.
 Weigh of empty mould Add water to the first specimen (compact it in five layers by
giving 10 blows per layer)
 After compaction, remove the collar and level the surface
 Take sample for determination of moisture content.
 Weight of mould compacted specimen
 Place the mould in the soaking tank for four days ignore this step, in case of un-
soaked CBR.
 Take other samples and apply different blows and repeat the whole process.
 After four days, measure the swell reading and find %age swell.
 Remove the mould from the tank and allow water to drain
 Place the mould assembly with the surcharge weights on the penetration test machine.
 Then place the specimen under the penetration piston and place surcharge load of
10lb.
 Seat the penetration piston at the centre of the specimen with the smallest possible
load.
 Set the stress and strain dial gauge to read zero Apply the load on the piston so that
the penetration rate is about 0.5 mm.
 Record the load readings at penetrations of 0, 25,50,75 500 inches.
 Note the maximum load and corresponding penetration if it occurs for a penetration
less than 0.5 mm.
 Apply the load and not the penetration load values.
 Draw the graphs between the penetration (in) and penetration load find the value of
CBR.
 Draw the graph between the age CBR and Dry Density, and find CBR at required
degree of compaction.
8.7 Observation and Calculations:
Diameter of mould: 6 inches
Height of mould: 5 inches
Weight of Sample: 5kg
Optimum moisture Content: 12%
Blows per Layer = 65
Total Number of Layers: 5
Mould wet Sample: 11.041kg
Surcharge weight = 10lb
Deformation Dial Gauge: 0.001 inches
Proving Ring Dial Gauge 3lb div
Proving Ring capacity: 5000lb

8.8 Tables and Graphs:

1-A

Sr Deflection Gauge Penetration (DGR Load Dial Load Dial

# Reading (DGR) × LC) Reading (LDR) Reading (LDR.)

  (div.) (inches) (div) (lb)

1 0 0.00 0 0
2 25 0.03 20 60
3 50 0.05 30 90
4 75 0.08 41 123
5 100 0.10 51 153
6 125 0.13 60 180
7 150 0.15 70 210
8 175 0.18 79 237
9 200 0.20 90 270
10 225 0.23 100 300
11 250 0.25 110 330
12 275 0.28 121 363
13 300 0.30 133 399
14 350 0.35 157 471
15 400 0.40 180 540
16 500 0.50 227 681
Table 8.2: Calculation of penetration at given depth
 Load Penetration Curves
800
700
600
500
Load (lb)

400
300
200
100
0
0.00 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60

Penetration (inches)

1-B
Sr. Deflection Gauge Penetration Load Dial Load
# Reading (DGR) (DGR × LC) Reading (LDR) (LDR × LC)
  (div.) (inches) (div) (lb)
1 0 0.00 0 0
2 25 0.03 12.5 37.5
3 50 0.05 20 60
4 75 0.08 28 84
5 100 0.10 35 105
6 125 0.13 42 126
7 150 0.15 49 147
8 175 0.18 55.5 166.5
9 200 0.20 63 189
10 225 0.23 71 213
11 250 0.25 79 237
12 275 0.28 87.5 262.5
13 300 0.30 96 288
14 350 0.35 113 339
15 400 0.40 130 390
16 500 0.50 160.5 481.5
Table 8.3: Calculation of penetration at given depth
 Load Penetration Curve
600
500
400
Load (lb)

300
200
100
0
0.00 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50 0.60

Penetration (inches)

8.9 Data Analysis:

Standard Load Sample 1 Sample 2

Load at 1'' Load at 2'' Load at 1'' Load at 2'' Load at 1'' Load at 2''
penetration penetration penetration penetratio penetratio penetration
(lb) (lb) (lb) n (lb) n (lb) (lb)
3000 4500 153 270 105 189
Table 8.4: Standard and experimental loads at given penetrations.

Sr. No CBR at 1" Penetration CBR at 2" Penetration

Sample 1 5.10% 6%
Sample 2 3.50% 4.20%
Table 8.5: California bearing ratio for 1” and 2” penetration.

Comments:

Sr. No
Governing CBR Value (%) Design Load (lb)
Sample 1 6 270
Sample 2 4.2 189
Table 8.6: Governing value of CBR.

By taking average: (Design Load) m = 229.5 lb