DCP testing and analysis

DCP pavement design and charts

November 2001
Introduction
This is a very simplified introduction to the use of the DCP. The DCP can be
used at all levels from simple investigation to very sophisticated design. It can
be integrated ith !"D testing# linear elastic layer design $CI%C&'# (&)'*#
&(D+. It,s a great tool for catalogue design $T%- .# /ust%oads+. I 0no the
)outh /frica and /ustralian design systems ell# the 1ritish and /merican
design systems reasonably ell# and the DCP adds value to all of them. 2reat
value. The DCP can be used on roads $of all types includes cemented layers 3
4ust drill through the cement+# and runays $up to and included PCN 100
pavements for 5.5s+. /s ell as carpar0s# container terminals# building
foundations. /bout the only thing that it doesn6t do ell is open coconuts. I as
on Christmas Island# and tried to open a freshly fallen coconut ith the DCP 3
coconut stayed intact and I bro0e the DCP.
The folloing ords are intentionally simple so they can be read by people ho
have (nglish as second language. The DCP can be described in very difficult
and comple7 language 4ust as easily# so do not be fooled by the simple ords.
The DCP results from the analysis described belo can be used to divide the
runay into uniform sections# get design subgrade strengths and thus feed
into !// design charts# or to estimate elastic moduli and feed into the various
$/P)D)# &(D+ computer elastic layer design programmes for runay
thic0ness. They can also be used to help understand !"D and -"D test
results.
/bove all# I find the DCP is absolutely marvellous for sorting out the confusion
that arises hen all the various test results are put together. 8sually nothing
ma0es sense# and one test shos a section is about to fail# hile another test
shos this is the strongest section. The DCP is the 9honest9 tool to help sort
out the mess.
DCP and pavement investigation
The DCP is a most useful tool for pavement investigation because it can 6loo0
inside6 a road# a runay or any other pavement. It shos field bearing strength
hich is the most important material property for roads.
2radings# PI# and /tterberg limits are other tests used# but these are indirect or
indicator tests and are less relevant than bearing strength. 1ecause it is a
:uic0# ine7pensive pavement test# and because it relates very directly to the
performance of a surfacing# DCP testing is often the main one suggested for
use.
Professor )tephen (mery Page 1 ;<05<201.
(3mail= emery>iafrica.com
http=<<.geocities.com<profemery< http=<<.0ubu.net
DCP testing and analysis
Effect of moisture on DCP and CBR results
*ost road<runay materials become ea0er if they become soa0ing et#
particularly clayey materials. In the field# the materials in the road<runay are
usually drier than soa0ing et. The DCP measures field C1%# and this is
probably higher than a laboratory soa0ed C1% test. )o a dry clayey gravel may
have a good DCP3C1% $over ;0+# hile its soa0ed C1% could be .?. The effect
is most pronounced in the basecourse# because the loer layers are generally
etter than the basecourse.
*ost of the time# this moisture effect does not matter much because the
bitumen surfacing 0eeps the road<runay dry inside# even hen it is raining.
1ut if ater does get into the road<runay from underneath $if it is a et area+#
or from on top $if the surfacing is crac0ed or potholed+# it could matter.
Climate has an effect as ell 3 in a et climate $here the grass is green all
year round# there are lots of lovely trees# rivers# ponds# etc+# then the materials
tend to be etter. The DCP tests should be done in the et season hen the
materials are at their ea0est. The DCP tests should be compared to
laboratory soa0ed C1% test results to see hat the effect of soa0ing is. In a dry
country# this is less important.
There are to three methods to estimate hat the material ill be li0e hen it is
soa0ed=
ta0e a sample# and do a laboratory soa0ed C1% test# or
chec0 the Plasticity Inde7 $PI@ from the /tterberg &imit tests+. &o PI
materials $PI A B+ ill not ea0en too much hen et# so field DCP is a
good measure of soa0ed C1%. -igher PI materials ill ea0en hen et#
so field DCP could be deceptively high.
)ee the appendi7 to his document
DCP test frequency
DCP tests should be done at the folloing fre:uency=
8pgrading a road<runay 23. DCP tests per 0ilometre# ith the tests
staggered as outer heeltrac0<inner heeltrac0 one side# outer
heeltrac0<inner heeltrac0 other side# centreline# etc@ at least ; DCP tests
per li0ely uniform section are needed to provide ade:uate data for the
analysis.
!ailure investigation 23. DCP tests in the failed section# and the same in a
nearby unfailed section.
It is useful to ta0e at least 2 samples per 0ilometre for ne roads# or 2 samples
per section for failure investigations# to chec0 laboratory soa0ed C1%#
/tterbergs and insitu moisture content of each layer. /lso test the insitu
basecourse density $optional for ne roads# needed for failure investigations+.
&ocal soils laboratories can do all these soil tests.
In any event# never come bac0 from the field ithout a heap of DCP tests been
done. They are :uic0 to do# and even half a day ill give you 1B tests.
Professor )tephen (mery Page 2 ;<05<201.
(3mail= emery>iafrica.com
http=<<.geocities.com<profemery< http=<<.0ubu.net
DCP testing and analysis
DCP test method
/ssemble the DCP. Place the DCP point on the surface# hold the DCP upright
and start. &ift the hammer to the top of its travel# and release@ do not thro it
don# but let it drop. %ecord the depth of penetration every ? blos. Continue
to belo ;00mm belo the surfacing. -itting a stone<roc0 ill sho as a
horiContal line for ?32? blos. "hen this happens during testing# 4ust 0eep
hammering ith the DCP and usually it ill brea0 through.
Plot the depth versus blos directly on the sheet. Direct plotting guards against
minor errors in reading. )ince the sheet only reads ?0 blos across# transfer
the depth at ?0 blos across to the left hand side of the sheet and 0eep
recording don
Drawing the DCP lines
(ssentially# 4oin up the dots on the DCP sheet to sho continuous lines. It is
helpful to dra this as only a fe straight lines of 9best3fit9. The C1% at each
depth can be read off the chart directly. )ince most pavement layers are
1?0mm thic0# it is usually possible to interpret the DCP line into actual
pavement layers.
Use of DCP computer programmes
The use of DCP computer programmes is not recommended e7cept by e7tra
highly :ualified and e7perienced pavement engineers. /ll current programmes
necessarily have built3in assumptions# and these can be changed by
e7perienced users. -oever if left unchanged# the programme ill still operate
and can ma0e gross mista0es. The hand3dran DCP charts are much safer to
use. I only use hand dran charts today# even though I have a number of the
computer programmes available.
Pavement strength analysis
The DCP results can be used for determining uniform pavement sections#
design subgrade strength# design strength of unbound $unstabilised+ sub3
bases and basecourses. It can even be used for :uality control during
construction of non3standard materials. The folloing steps give some
illustration of ho some designers use them.
)T(P 1 DD DCP T()TIN2 /&DN2 T-( %D/D<%8N"/'
DCP testing is performed along the length of road<runay. The fre:uency of
tests should generally be in accordance ith the standards here# but the visual
inspection may indicate ad4ustments to the fre:uency. If the road<runay is
very uniform the fre:uency can be reduced# and if it is variable then it should be
increased. The basic fre:uency should be=
Professor )tephen (mery Page E ;<05<201.
(3mail= emery>iafrica.com
http=<<.geocities.com<profemery< http=<<.0ubu.net
DCP testing and analysis
F test at the rate of ? DCP tests per 0ilometre# ith the tests staggered as
centreline# outer heeltrac0 one side# outer heeltrac0 other side# centreline#
etc@
F perform an additional test at every significant location pic0ed up in the visual
survey# such as particular failure areas@
F ensure that at least ; DCP tests are performed per li0ely uniform section to
provide ade:uate data for the statistical analysis.
)T(P 2 DIGID( %D/D<%8N"/' INTD 8NI!D%* )(CTIDN)
The results of the investigation# including the DCP testing and visual
assessment# enable the length of road<runay to be divided in relatively
uniform sections for the purposes of rehabilitation.
The minimum length of section should be 100 metres# and desirably 1000
metres. Dn long lengths of road ith uniform conditions# it can be 10 000
metres. Note that construction of sections shorter than ?00 metres is a0ard.
It may be that a lo DCP result occurs in a spot hich as identified in the
visual survey as an isolated problem area@ these are typical of an isolated
drainage problem and consideration should be given to repair of these
individually rather than ta0ing them as representative of the section.
!or runays ith heavy aircraft# the design pavement thic0ness can be :uite a
lot# especially if the subgrade is ea0. Gery often on e7isting runays# the
subgrade strength $and depth of e7isting pavement layers+ is amaCingly
variable. It is even more variable if you test outside the central 1? metresH It is
not un0non to have outer edges of runays ith only half the strength of the
centre of the runay 3 even though they have been built to the same thic0ness.
The traffic0ing and compaction in the centre ma0e it so much stronger there. )o
the DCP can be used to delineate the ea0est areas. Then selective
reconstruction can be used to fi7 those areas.
/s an e7ample# at 1roome International /irport the 10<2; runay PCN as 2;.
Parts of the runay ere even ea0er than that and had failed. -oever by
reconstructing E00m of the 2000m# the ea0est areas and failures ere
replaced. The hole runay could be re3rated to PCN E?. Then an thin asphalt
overlay could be used to bring the PCN up to .?. The alternative as a thic0
asphalt overlay over the hole lot 3 the ea0# failed and good areas of the
runay. The cost savings amounted to 50I of the cost of the thic0 overlay.
)T(P E C/&C8&/T( T-( D()I2N C1% G/&8( !D% (/C- &/'(% IN
(/C- )(CTIDN
The design C1% is found for each layer $such as subgrade# subbase or
basecourse+ in each section and calculated statistically to provide a safety
margin against the variability of material ithin the section. / normal
distribution of data is assumed and the )tudent6s T distribution at the ;0I level
is used=
!irst the design DCP is found=
Professor )tephen (mery Page . ;<05<201.
(3mail= emery>iafrica.com
http=<<.geocities.com<profemery< http=<<.0ubu.net
DCP testing and analysis
Design DCP J average DCP 3 .K L $standard deviation+
(7ample The DCP<C1% results of a basecourse in a section ere as follos=
DCP<C1%= 12?# 1.E# 120# 100# 1.?# 11?# 1.0# 1E?
*ean $average+ J 125#K )tandard deviation J 1?#5
DCP J average DCP 3 .K L $standard deviation+
J 125#K 3 .K L 1?#5 J 11.
Note that the equation is using a one-tailed T-distribution for 8 samples and is
reasonably robust for sample sizes from 5 to 30.
Then the design C1% is found by considering the relationship beteen C1%
and DCP. This is rather too comple7 to cover here. Instead# let me say hat
some designers do. In /ustralia# for drier areas# the DCP is ta0en as e:ual to
the C1% for the subgrade and sometimes for the upper layers. (asy# for dry
areas.
In )outh /frica# they6ll do a C1% test in the laboratory at soa0ed and at
unsoa0ed conditions# and see ho the strength varies ith moisture. Then
they6ll consider ho et the inside of the pavement ill get# before they pic0 the
relationship beteen DCP and C1%. Dften# a simple rule of thumb for areas in
moderate climates is to reduce the DCP by 20I 3 so a design DCP of ;0
becomes e:uivalent to C1% B0. The anser also depends on the assumptions
of the design method being used# hether they are based on soa0ed or insitu
strength# and ho that has been handled in determining elastic moduli# etc. No
easy anser there# sorry. 1ut at least it 0eeps me in consulting or0 H
APPEDI!
(7tract from=
T-( P%(DICTIDN D! *DI)T8%( CDNT(NT IN 8NT%(/T(D P/G(*(NT
&/'(%) /ND /N /PP&IC/TIDN TD D()I2N IN )D8T-(%N /!%IC/
Division of %oads and Transport Technology# 1ulletin 20# C)I% %esearch
%eport B..# Pretoria# 1K;;
/uthor= ). M. (mery
Table 22 Variation of CBR with moisture content
Material class Soaked mc/OMCm ratio
(TRH 14) CBR (%) 1,0 0,75 0,5
Ratio of unsoaked to soaked CBR
G4 80 1,34 1,88 2,5
G5 45 1,77 2,57 3,6
G6 25 2,35 3,56 5,4
G7 15 3,00 4,71 7,6
G8 10 3,65 5,88 9,9
G9 7 4,33 7,16 12
G10 3 6,50 11,41 22
Professor )tephen (mery Page ? ;<05<201.
(3mail= emery>iafrica.com
http=<<.geocities.com<profemery< http=<<.0ubu.net
DCP testing and analysis
Notes
1. *aterial class is )outh /frican material class 3 other countries can use the
)oa0ed C1% column to identify their materials.
2. mc<D*Cm ratio is the ratio of field moisture content $mc+ to optimum
moisture content $D*C at *od //)-TD compaction+. Thus a material#
hich has been prepared in the laboratory for an unsoa0ed C1% test# is at
D*C because it has been compacted at D*C# and so the mc<D*Cm ratio
is 1.00. / material in the field ith a field m.c of BI and an D*C of ;I
has an mc<D*Cm ratio of 0#5?.
E. )o a material ith a soa0ed C1% of .? can be e7pected to have an
unsoa0ed C1% $at D*C+ strength of .? L 1#55 J ;0. The same material# in
the field# dried bac0 to say BI ith an D*C of ;I hich means a ratio
mc<D*C of 0.5?# ould have a field C1% of .? L 2#?5 J 11?.
.. These relationships are appro7imate and variable# and they also depend
on particle siCe distribution# soil suction and the amount of clay in the
material# none of hich are e7plicitly addressed in the modelling. -oever
they give an indication of the strength gain ith drying out.
Professor )tephen (mery Page B ;<05<201.
(3mail= emery>iafrica.com
http=<<.geocities.com<profemery< http=<<.0ubu.net