Tests on Road Aggregates and Properties Evaluated
SL
No. Type of test Required property
1 Aggregate impact test Toughness or resistance to impact
2 Los Angeles Abrasion Test Hardness or resistance to abrasion
3 Aggregate Crushing Test Strength or resistance to crushing
Soundness/Durability/
4 Durability or resistance to weathering
Accelerated weathering test
Shape test: Flakiness Index,
Assessment of suitable shape or shape
5 Elongation Index and Angularity
factors of coarse aggregates
Number
To measure the quality or strength of
6 Specific gravity Test
material
7 Water absorption Test To measure the porosity
8 Bitumen adhesion/Stripping Test Adhesion of bitumen
Polished stone value test or Resistance to getting smooth or
9
accelerated polishing test polished
Group index of soil
In order to classify the fine grained soils with one group and for judging
their suitability as subgrade material an Index system has been
introduced in HRB classification which is termed as Group Index. Soils
are thus assigned arbitrary numerical number known as group (GI).
Group index is a function of % material passing 75microns (0.075mm)
sieve, Liquid limit & Plasticity index of soil and is given by
GI=0.2a+0.005ac+0.01bd.
a=that portion of material passing 75micron sieve, greater than 35 & not
exceeding 75% (expressed as a whole no. 0-40).
b=that portion of material passing 75micron sieve greater than15 & not
exceeding 35% (expressed as a whole no. from 0-40).
c=that value of LL in excess of 40 and less than 60 (expressed as a
whole no. from 0-20)
d = that value of plasticity index exceeding 10 & not more than 30
(expressed as a whole no. from 0-20).
GI value is varying from 0-20.
Higher the value poorer the soil as subgrade.
California Bearing Ratio Test
CBR value is expressed as a percentage of the actual
load causing the penetrations of 2.5 mm or 5.0 mm
to the standard loads mentioned above. Therefore,
CBR = load carries by specimen
-------------------------------------- X 100
load carries by standard specimen
Two values of CBR will be obtained. If the value of
2.5 mm is greater than that of 5.0 mm penetration,
the former is adopted. If the CBR value obtained from
test at 5.0 mm penetration is higher than that
at 2.5 mm, then the test is to be repeated for checking.
If the check test again gives similar results, then
higher value obtained at 5.0 mm penetration is
reported as the CBR value. The average CBR value of
three test specimens is reported as the CBR value of
the sample.
Example
• The load penetration values of CBR tests conducted on two specimenof a
soil sample are given below. Determine the CBR values of the soil if
100division of the load dial represents 190kg load in the calibration chart
of the proving ring
Penetration of Load dial reading divisions
plunger (mm) Specimen No. 1 Specimen No. 2
0.0 0 0
0.5 8 0.5
1 15 1.5
1.5 23 2.5
2 29 6.0
2.5 34 13
3 37 20
4 43 30
5 48 38
7.5 57 50
10.0 63 58
12.5 67 63
80
l 70
o
a
60
d
d
i 50
a
l 40 Specimen No. 1
d
Specimen No. 2
i 30
v
i 20
s 5mm
i
10
o 2.5mm
n
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
penetration (mm)
Solution
The penetration values are plotted against the load dial reading
as shown in the figure.
Specimen no. 1
Load dial reading at 2.5 mm penetration = 34 division ( from
graph)
Load at 2.5 mm penetration =34 X190/100 = 64.6 kg
CBR values at 2.5 mm penetration = 64.6X100
------------- = 4.7 %
1370
CBR values at 5 mm penetration = 48X190X100
------------- --- = 4.4 %
100X2055
Specimen no.2
As the curve is intial concavity, correction is required. A tangent AC is
drawn from the steepest portion A of the curve to intercept the X
axis at C which is the corrected origin for this specimen. The
penetration value is measured from this corrected origin C, as
shown in fig.
CBR values at 2.5 mm penetration = 32.5X190X100
------------------ = 4.5 %
100X1370
CBR values at 5 mm penetration = 47X190X100
---------------- = 4.3 %
100X2055
CBR value of specimen no.2 = 4.5%
Therefore mean CBR value of the soil sample = 4.7+4.5
------------ = 4.6%
2
stresses in flexible pavement
• Vehicular wheel loads => induce stresses in
pavement structure.
• The stresses => create strains => accumulate
resulting excessive plastic strain ( Cracking,
rutting and roughness )
• pavement damages which reduce pavement
riding quality and are the major causes of
pavement functional failure.
• The knowledge of stresses and strains analysis is
thus important for the design of pavement
structures.
What is a Pavement?
A multi layer system that distributes the vehicular loads over a larger area.
Or
Highway pavement is a structure consisting of superimposed layers of selected and
processed materials whose primary function is to distribute the applied vehicle load to the
sub grade
20
Desirable characteristics of pavement
• Sufficient thickness to distribute the wheel load stresses to a safe
value on the sub-grade soil,
• Structurally strong to withstand all types of stresses imposed
upon it,
• Adequate coefficient of friction to prevent skidding of vehicles,
• Smooth surface to provide comfort to road users even at high
speed,
• Produce least noise from moving vehicles,
• Dust proof surface so that traffic safety is not impaired by
reducing visibility,
• Impervious surface, so that sub-grade soil is well protected, and
• Long design life with low maintenance cost.
Requirements of pavement structure
Sufficient thickness to spread loading to a pressure intensity
tolerable by subgade
Sufficiently strong to carry imposed stress due to traffic load
Sufficient thickness to prevent the effect of frost
susceptible subgade
Pavement material should be impervious to penetration of
surface water which could weaken subgade and
subsequently pavement
Pavement mat. shd be non-frost susceptible Pavement
surface shd. be skid resistant
22
Classification of Pavements
23
Types of Pavement
PAVEMENTS
Flexible Pavements Rigid Pavements
24
Flexible Pavements
Asphalt Concrete Aggregate Base Course
Natural Soil (Subgrade)
Aggregate Subbase Course
25
Flexible Pavements
Given Wheel Load
Wearing C.
Base
Sub-base
Sub-grade
Load 26
Distribution
Rigid Pavements
27
Rigid Pavements
Load Distribution in Rigid Pavements
28
Load Distribution In Flexible
Pavements
29
Component Parts Of Flexible and Rigid
Road Pavements Structure and Their
Function
1. Surface Course or Wearing Course
The top most layer of the road pavement directly exposed to the
traffic is called surface course or wearing course. In flexible
pavement, normally a bituminous surface is used as wearing
course. In Rigid Pavement, the cement concrete layer acts as a
base course as well as wearing course.
Function of Surface or Wearing Course
The Function of surface or wearing course are as follows:
[Link] provide a smooth and uniform rigid surface.
[Link] resist the abrasive forces of traffic.
[Link] prevent dust nuisance.
[Link] act as a structural part of the pavement.
30
1. [Link]
The layer of broken stones or brick provided over the
subbase course or immediately over the subgrade in the
absence of subbase, in a road pavement is called base
course.
Function of Base Course
The Function of base course are as follows:
1. To act as the foundation of the road pavement and
to transfer the traffic load safely to the subbase and
subgrade.
2. To withstand high shearing stresses due to the impact of
traffic.
3. To prevent the undesirable entry of subgrade soil in the
pavement when the base course is constructed directly over
the subgrade.
31
3. Sub-base course
The layer of granular material such as burnt clinker, gravel or
slag provided in between the sub-grade and base course in a road
pavement is called sub-base course. In some place, boulder
stones or bricks are also used as a sub-base course.
Function of Sub-base Course
The function of sub-base course are:
1. To improve the bearing capacity of the sub-grade.
2. To provide additional help to the base and surface course in
distributing the load.
3. To prevent the undesirable entry of fine-grained soils from
subgrade to base course.
4. To minimize the damaging effect of frost action.
5. To improve the drainage.
4. Subgrade or Formation
The finished and compacted surface of earthwork on which a
road pavement rests is called subgrade or formation.
Functions of Subgrade
The Function of subgrade are as follows:
1. To provide adequate and uniform support to the road
pavements.
2. To bear ultimately the entire load of pavement including
the traffic load transmitted through the pavement.
Types of Pavements
34
Types of Pavements
35
Types of Pavements
36
Types of Pavements
37
Typical Load Distribution in Flexible Pavement
Wheel Load
Bituminous Layer
35
Sub-grade
Rigid Pavement
Rigid pavements are those, which contain sufficient
beam strength to be able to bridge over the localized
sub-grade failures and areas of in adequate support.
OR
Load is transmitted through beam action of slab in
rigid pavements.
OR
Rigid pavements are those, which reduces the stress
concentration and distributes the reduced stresses
uniformly to the area under the slab.
39
Rigid Pavements
40
Basic Components of Concrete Pavement
41
Rigid Pavements
Because of its relative rigidity, the pavement
structure distributes loads over a wide area
with only one, or at most two, structural
layers.
There are other types of surfaces also i.e.;
reinforced, continuously reinforced etc.
42
Structure of Rigid Pavement
Surface course. This is the top layer, which
consists of the PCC slab, reinforced or
continuously reinforced slabs .
Base course. This is the layer directly below the
PCC layer and generally consists of aggregate
or stabilized sub-grade.
Sub-base course. This is the layer (or layers)
under the base layer. A sub-base is not
always needed and therefore may often be
omitted.
43
Surface Course
The surface course is the layer in contact with traffic loads and is
made of PCC or RCC.
It provides characteristics such as friction, smoothness, noise
control and drainage. In addition, it serves as a waterproofing
layer to the underlying base, sub-base and sub-grade.
The surface course can vary in thickness but is usually between
150 mm (6 inches for light loading) and 300 mm (12 inches for
heavy loads and high traffic).
44
PCC Surface
Rigid Pavement Slab
(Surface Co45urse)
Thickness
Base Course
The base course is immediately beneath the
•
surface course. It provides
Additional load distribution,
•
Contributes to drainage and frost resistance, Uniform support
•
to the pavement
• and A stable platform for construction
equipment. • Bases also help and prevent sub grade soil
movement due to slab pumping. Base courses are usually
constructed out of:
– Aggregates base. A simple base course of crushed
aggregates
. has been a common option since 46
the early
1900s and is still appropriate in many situations
Base Course
– Stabilized aggregate or soil. Stabilizing agents are used
to bind otherwise loose particles to one another,
providing strength and cohesion. Cement treated
bases (CTB s) can be built to as much as 20 - 25
percent of the surface course strength.
– Dense-graded HMA. In situations where high base
stiffness is desired base courses can be constructed
using a dense-graded HMA layer.
– Permeable HMA. In certain situations where high base
stiffness and excellent drainage is desired, base courses
can be constructed using an open graded HMA.
47
Sub-base Course
• The sub-base course is the portion of the pavement
structure between the base course and the sub-grade. It
functions primarily as structural support but it can also:
– Minimize the intrusion of fines from the sub-grade into the
pavement structure.
– Improves drainage.
– Minimizes frost action damage.
– Provides a working platform for construction.
• The sub-base generally consists of lower quality materials
than the base course but better than the sub-
grade soils. Appropriate materials are aggregates
49
and
high quality structural fill.
Types of Rigid Pavement
Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement (JPCP)
50
Types of Rigid Pavement
Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP)
51
Photo from the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute
Pavements Comparison
51
Flexible vrs. Rigid Pavements
52
Flexible vrs. Rigid Pavements
57
Airport-Highway Pavements
58