HIGHWAY ENGINEERING II

CHAPTER 1

SUB-GRADE SOIL

JEMAL BEDANE, M.Sc.

BHU, CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, 2018

3/29/21 03:54 PM By: Jemal Bedane, M.Sc. 1

 1.1 Introduction
 The sub-grade constitutes the
foundation material for the
pavement structure as highway
pavements ultimately rest on the
native soil

 The performance of the

pavement is affected by the
characteristics of the sub-
grade

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 Cont…
 The major functions of a highway
pavement is to reduce the
stresses transmitted to the sub-
grade

 geological processes and

mechanics of soil formation
affects the characteristics
and the engineering
properties of soil Typical Flexible
Pavement Structure

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 Flexible Pavement Layers

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 Flexible Pavement Layers

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 Flexible pavement layers
1. Surface Course
 Layer that comes to contact with traffic; normally contains
the highest quality material. HMA + Aggregates
2. Base course
 Provides additional load distribution and contributes to drainage
and frost resistance. Compacted Crushed Aggregates
3. Sub-base course(optional)
 Functions primarily as structural support but it can also help with
drainage and frost action. Compacted crushed aggregates or boulders
4. Sub-grade
 Native soil – the only non-engineered material in the pavement
structure. Support pavement layers and transmit vehicle loads to
bedrock. Compacted selected Higher bearing capacity soil

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 1.2 Overview of Soil Survey and Site Investigation

 Source of construction materials and the soil condition must be

investigated before any detailed designs are made.

 The information most often required from soil investigation

include :-
• Depth, thickness, and properties of each soil layer,
• Location of groundwater table,
• Availability of suitable local construction materials, etc.

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 cont’d
 In general, a soil investigation work involves the following
steps:-
1. Desk study & Site Reconnaissance
2. Detail investigation which includes laboratory & field tests
3. Reporting
Desk study
 Relevant data to be collected in desk study:-
 General data:-
 Topography maps,
 Geological maps,
 Aerial photo
 Meteorological data (temperature and rainfall data)
 Specific data from previous soil investigation works

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 cont’d
Site Reconnaissance
 This is a walk over survey of the site involving visual inspection
of alignment soils and other pertinent
• Geotechnical,
• Topographic and
• Hydrologic/hydraulic features
Detail investigation
• This will involve obtaining and investigating enough soil samples along
the selected route, carrying out field tests as required, and laboratory
tests.

• The investigation has to be carried out at sufficient intervals and to depths

below which ground conditions cease to affect the works.

• The results of the investigation will be used to characterize the different soil
types along the road and map
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their boundaries.
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 cont’d…….
 Methods of field investigation and sampling are:-
 Test pits or trenches:- shallow depth, disturbed/undisturbed
 Hand augers:- shallow depth, disturbed & mixed
 Boring test holes and sampling with drillings: for higher depth of soil strata investigations
 Geophysical methods (Seismic or electrical)

 The routine tests normally carried out on sub-grade soils include :-

1. Soil classification and index tests :- gradation, water content & Atter-berg limit
2. Compaction and Strength tests :- standard or modified
3. Field tests:- field density & moisture content
4. Modulus of deformation (MK)

Reporting
 The process and findings of the investigations works are presented in
series of reports.
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 Cont’d
1.2.1 Depth of investigation
 The design depth is defined as the depth from the finished road
level to the depth that the load bearing strength of the soil no
longer has an effect on the pavement’s performance in relation
to traffic loading.

 The depth at which the vehicle load has no performance effect on

bearing strength of soil = designed depth

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 Cont’d
Design Depth (Tanzania Pavement Design Manual, 1999)

Road type design depth (m)

General requirement Heavy traffic class*
Paved Trunk road 0.8 1.2

Other roads 0.6 1.0

* Heavy traffic class roads are roads with proportion of traffic loading as a
result of axles loaded above 13 tones is greater than 50% of the total design
traffic loading (and CESAL > 0.2 x 106)

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Sampling and Frequency test interval

 the frequency and

spacing of the test
pits should depend
on sound engineering
judgment and on the
field conditions.

 As per ERA geometric

design manual

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 Essential Laboratory Tests
 Laboratory Tests BS, ASTM and AASHTO standards are used
 Gradation Test (AASHTO T88):- is conducted in order to
obtain the maximum size and the grain size distribution of
particles in the soil.

 Gradation test (sieve Analysis) is carried out for soil

particles larger than 0.075 (0.063)mm.

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1. Gradation Test performed by
sieve analysis
 Sieve analysis can be:-
• Dry sieve analysis = for coarse particles
• Wet sieve analysis= coarse & fine grained soil
 Gradation test influences:-
• Density/compactibility
• Strength/stability/deformability,
• Voids content
• Permeability

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 Cont’d

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 Cont’d

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 2. Atter-berg Limits tests
 Liquid limit (AASHTO T89) :- minimum water content at
which the soil will start to flow under the application of
a standard shearing force (dynamic loading).

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 Cont’d

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 Cont’d
• Plastic limit (AASHTO T90):-the moisture content at
which the soil begins to fracture when rolled into a
3mm diameter thread

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 Cont’d

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 Cont’d
 Shrinkage limit (AASHTOT92):- is the maximum
moisture content after which further reduction in
water content does not cause reduction in volume
 Plasticity index (PI=LL-PL) is the numerical difference
between the liquid and plastic limits.

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 Cont’d

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 3. Compaction Test
 Compaction is the process by which air is excluded
from a soil mass to bring the particles closer together
and thus increase its density (dry density)
 Compaction test can be:-
 Standard compaction [proctor] test  standard
amount of compactive effort :-3 layers and 2.5kg
hammer with 25/56 blows with in standard mold of
diameter 101.6 fallen from 305mm height

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 Cont’d
 Modified compaction [proctor] test  heavy density
test  5 layers with 25/56 blows using 4.5kg
hammer fallen from a height of 457mm with same
standard mold diameter

Where;
ϒb = the bulk density
ϒd = dry density
W = water content

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 Cont’d

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 Cont’d

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 Cont’d

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 Cont’d

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 Cont’d

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 Cont’d
2000

1800

1600

1400

1200

1000
ϒd (dry density)

800

600

400

200

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7

W (water content)

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 4. Field density test
 Since the compatibility of soils varies considerably,
the construction requirements for roads are usually
specified as a percentage of the maximum dry
density found in a laboratory compaction test for
each soil type encountered on the project.

 Field density tests are made using either destructive

or nondestructive methods.

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 Cont’d
 Destructive methods:-
 core-cutter method:-fine grained soils
 Sand Replacement method

 Non-destructive method:- nuclear method=based on

gamma radiation.

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 5. CBR test
 The California bearing ratio is one of the soil test
used to characterize sub-grade soil.

 It is a simple strength test that compares the bearing

capacity of soil with that of a well-graded crushed
stone.

 It was developed by the California Division of

Highways around 1930.

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 Cont’d
Higher CBR  stronger sub-grade
Low CBR  weak sub-grade

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 Cont’d
 CBR test involves applying load to a small penetration
piston at a rate of 1.3 mm per minute and recording the total
load at penetrations ranging from 0.64 mm up to 7.62 mm

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 Formula to calculate CBR

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 Standard load adopted
Penetration of plunger (mm) Standard load (kg)

2.5 1370

5.0 2055

7.5 2630

10.0 3180

12.5 3600

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 CBR's for commonly found sub-grade
CBR VALUE SUBGRADE STRENGTH COMMENTS

Capping is required
3% and less Poor

Widely encountered CBR

range; capping
3% - 5% Normal considered according to
road category

"Capping" normally
unnecessary except on
5% - 15% Good very heavily trafficked
roads.

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 Design CBR of sub-grade
Sub-grade class Sub-grade CBR
SG1 >15
SG2 7-15
SG3 3-7
SG4 <3*special treatment
required

Factors Affecting CBR

1. The compaction moisture content used and field density achieved
2. Moisture changes during service life
3. Sub-grade variability
4. The Sequences of earthwork construction
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 Example on determining CBRdesign

1. The CBR data of road to be constructed is tabulated

as shown below. Calculate the design CBR value for
the given route.
sections along the route CBR data in %
1 12
2 8
3 14
4 6
5 9
6 9
7 9
8 11
9 12

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 solutions
• 1st step:- arrange the given CBR values in ascending order
Section along the route CBR values in ascending order
4 6
2 8
5 9
6 9
7 9
8 11
1 12
9 12
3 14

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 Cont’d
• 2nd step:- determine the 90% value
CBR values in ascending Numbers equals or Percentile equals to or
order greater than greater than

6 9 [9/9]*100 = 100
8 8 [8/9]*100 = 88.89
9 7 [7/9]*100 = 77.78
9
9
11 4 [4/9]*100 = 44.44
12 3 [3/9]*100 = 33.33
12
14 1 [1/9]*100 = 11.11

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 Cont’d
• 3rd step:- draw a graph to determine 90% value
120
percentile values

100

80

60 percentile values

40

20

0
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

The design CBR is 8.2%

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 1.4 Soil Classification
 Basically ,we have two different systems of
classification of soil for construction use
1. AASHTO system
2. USCS system

• Reading Assignment

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 Assignment
 On the AASHTO classification system
1. The following data were obtained for a soil
sample. Plasticity tests:- LL =48% and PI =26%
Sieve numbers Percent finer
4 97
10 93
40 88
100 78
200 70

Determine the classification of the soil & the state whether this
material is suitable in its natural state for use as a sub-base
material
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 Assignment
 On the USCS
2. Classify the soil using USCS & state whether or not it can be
used in the natural state as a sub-base material.
 plasticity tests:- LL =40%
PL =30%
Sieve number % passing
4 98
10 93
40 85
100 73
200 62

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 .

END
THANK YOU!!

3/29/21 03:54 PM By: Jemal Bedane, M.Sc. 48