Subgrades

Copyright© 2009 - ESH

Subgrade Performance

Load bearing capacity.

The subgrade must be able to support loads transmitted from the
pavement structure. This load bearing capacity is often affected by
degree of compaction, moisture content, and soil type. A subgrade that
can support a high amount of loading without excessive deformation is
considered good.

Moisture content.

Moisture tends to affect a number of subgrade properties including load
bearing capacity, shrinkage and swelling. Moisture content can be
influenced by a number of things such as drainage, groundwater table
elevation, infiltration, or pavement porosity (which can be assisted by
cracks in the pavement). Generally, excessively wet subgrades will
deform excessively under load.

Shrinkage and/or swelling.

Some soils shrink or swell depending upon their moisture content.
Additionally, soils with excessive fines content may be susceptible to frost
heave in northern climates. Shrinkage, swelling and frost heave will tend
to deform and crack any pavement type constructed over them.

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Improvement to Subgrade
Performance

Removal and replacement (over-excavation).

Poor subgrade soil can simply be removed and replaced with high quality
fill. Although this is simple in concept, it can be expensive. Table 4.1
shows typical over-excavation depths recommended by the Colorado
Asphalt Pavement Association (CAPA)

Stabilization with a cementitious or asphaltic binder.

The addition of an appropriate binder (such as lime, portland cement or
emulsified asphalt) can increase subgrade stiffness and/or reduce swelling
tendencies.

Additional base layers.

Marginally poor subgrade soils may be compensated for by using additional
base layers. These layers (usually of crushed stone – either stabilized or
unstabilized) serve to spread pavement loads over a larger subgrade area.
This option is rather perilous; when designing pavements for poor
subgrades the temptation may be to just design a thicker section with
more base material because the thicker section will satisfy most design
equations

Mass & Volume Relationship

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 Test for Soil Classification

Grain size, for particle distribution

Plasticity, to determine particle type

Gradation and Size

Gradation is the particle size distribution
of an aggregate.

This is one of the most influential
aggregate characteristics in determining
how it will perform as a pavement
material.

The gradation of a particular aggregate is
most often determined by a sieve analysis
(see Figure). In a sieve analysis, a sample
of dry aggregate of known weight is
separated through a series of sieves with
progressively smaller openings.

Once separated, the weight of particles
retained on each sieve is measured and
compared to the total sample weight.
Particle size distribution is then expressed
as a percent retained by weight on each
sieve size. Results are usually expressed in
tabular or graphical format.

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Sieve Analysis

AASHTO

Plasticity Test

Pengujian ini untuk mengukur jumlah air yang
terserap oleh tanah atau untuk menunjukkan kapan
tanah dapat menggulung seperti material plastis dan
kapan seperti material cair.

Dikenal batas-batas Atterberg (Atterberg Limit) :

Plastic Limit (wL)

Liquid Limit (wP)

Plasticity Index (IP)
IP= wL - wP

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AASHTO Soil Classification

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ASTM Soil Classification (USC)

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 Subgrade Characterization
(capacity)

Subgrade materials are typically characterized by their
resistance to deformation under load, which can be either a
measure of :

Strength

the stress needed to break or rupture a material

Stiffness

the relationship between stress and strain in the elastic range or how
well a material is able to return to its original shape and size after
being stressed

Three basic subgrade stiffness/strength characterizations are
commonly used :

California Bearing Ratio (CBR),

Resistance Value (R-value)

Elastic (resilient) modulus

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California Bearing Ratio (CBR)

The California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test is a simple strength test that compares the
bearing capacity of a material with that of a well-graded crushed stone.

Introducing by California Division of Highway 1928, and be populated by O.J. Porter

The basic CBR test involves applying load to a small penetration piston at a rate of 1.3
mm (0.05") per minute and recording the total load at penetrations ranging from 0.64
mm (0.025 in.) up to 7.62 mm (0.300 in.)

where:
x=material resistance or the unit load on the piston (pressure) for 2.54 mm (0.1") or 5.08 mm (0.2") of penetration
y=standard unit load (pressure) for well graded crushed stone
=for 2.54 mm (0.1") penetration = 6.9 MPa (1000 psi)
=for 5.08 mm (0.2") penetration = 10.3 MPa (1500 psi)
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CBR Calculation

CBR Values (Typical)

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CBR Classification

Design CBR

Soaked Design CBR

Unsoaked Design CBR

Field CBR, placing piston and penetrated by
truck load

Undisturbed Soaked CBR, to obtained field CBR at
saturated soil and maximum swelling

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Field CBR using DCP

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Resistance Value (R-value)

The Resistance Value (R-value) test is a material stiffness test.
The test procedure expresses a material's resistance to
deformation as a function of the ratio of transmitted lateral
pressure to applied vertical pressure. It is essentially a
modified triaxial compression test. Materials tested are
assigned an R-value

The R-value test was developed by F.N. Hveem and R.M.
Carmany of the California Division of Highways and first
reported in the late 1940's. During this time rutting (or
shoving) in the wheel tracks was a primary concern and the R-
value test was developed as an improvement on the CBR test.
Presently, the R-value is used mostly by State Highway
Agencies (SHAs) on the west coast of the U.S.

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R-values Test

where:
R=resistance value
Pv=applied vertical pressure (160 psi)
Ph=transmitted horizontal pressure at Pv = 160 psi
D=displacement of stabilometer fluid necessary to increase horizontal pressure from 5 to 100 psi.
Some typical R-values are:
*Well-graded (dense gradation) crushed stone base course: 80+
*MH silts: 15-30 20

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Resilient Modulus

The Resilient Modulus (MR) is a subgrade material stiffness test. A material's
resilient modulus is actually an estimate of its modulus of elasticity (E).
While the modulus of elasticity is stress divided by strain (e.g., the slope of
the Figure plot within the linear elastic range) for a slowly applied load,
resilient modulus is stress divided by strain for rapidly applied loads – like
those experienced by pavements.

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Triaxial Test for Resilient Modulus

In a triaxial resilient modulus test a repeated axial cyclic stress of fixed
magnitude, load duration and cyclic duration is applied to a cylindrical test
specimen. While the specimen is subjected to this dynamic cyclic stress, it is
also subjected to a static confining stress provided by a triaxial pressure
chamber. The total resilient (recoverable) axial deformation response of the
specimen is measured (see Figure 4.9) and used to calculate the resilient
modulus using the following equation

where:
MR (or ER)=resilient modulus (or elastic modulus since resilient modulus is just an
estimate of elastic modulus)
σd=stress (applied load / sample cross sectional area)
εr=recoverable axial strain = D L/L
L=gauge length over which the sample deformation is measured
D L=change in sample length due to applied load

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MR values (typical)

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Strength/Stiffness Correlations

A widely used empirical relationship developed by Heukelom
and Klomp (1962) and used in the 1993 AASHTO Guide is:

ESG (or MR) = (1500) (CBR)

This equation is restricted to fine grained materials with soaked CBR
values of 10 or less. Like all such correlations, it should be used with
caution.

The proposed new AASHTO Design Guide will likely use the
following relationship:

MR = 2555 x (CBR)0.64

The 1993 AASHTO Guide offers the following correlation
equation between R-value and elastic modulus for fine-grained
soils with R-values less than or equal to 20.

ESG (or MR) = 1,000 + (555)(R-value)

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MR vs R-value (WSDOT)

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Modulus of Subgrade Reaction (k)

The modulus of subgrade reaction (k) is used as a primary input for rigid
pavement design. It estimates the support of the layers below a rigid
pavement surface course (the PCC slab). The k-value can be determined by
field tests or by correlation with other tests. There is no direct laboratory
procedure for determining k-value.

The modulus of subgrade reaction came about because work done by
Westergaard during the 1920s developed the k-value as a spring constant to
model the support beneath the slab (see Figure below)

The reactive pressure to resist a load is thus proportional to the spring deflection (which
is a representation of slab deflection) and k (see Figure 4.11):
where:
P=reactive pressure to support deflected slab
k=spring constant = modulus of subgrade reaction, ranges from about 13.5
MPa/m (50 pci) for weak support, to over 270 MPa/m (1000 pci) for strong
support
D=slab deflection
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 Plate Load Test

The plate load test presses a steel bearing plate into the surface
to be measured with a hydraulic jack.

The resulting surface deflection is read from dial micrometers

near the plate edge and the modulus of subgrade reaction is
determined by the following equation:

where:
k=spring constant = modulus of subgrade reaction
P=applied pressure (load divided by the area of the 762 mm (30 inch) diameter plate)
∆=measured deflection of the 762 mm (30 inch) diameter plate 27

Soil Compaction
(Pemadatan Tanah)

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Pemadatan Tanah

Usaha mekanis untuk lebih memperbaiki
stabilitas tanah, umumnya dilakukan
terhadap timbunan (embankment)

Parameter pemadatan adalah : DRY DENSITY
(berat isi kering tanah)

Pemadatan Tanah dapat dilakukan di :

Laboratorium : Standard Proctor or Modified
Proctor

Lapangan : Dengan alat pemadatan, misalnya :
compactor, roller dll.

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Kurva Pemadatan

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Pemadatan di Laboratorium
(Proctor)

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Typical Compaction Curve with

Different Compaction Effort

ZAV

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Typical Compaction Curve with
Different Soil Type

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Pemadatan di Lapangan

Tanah dipadatkan di lapangan dengan
peralatan roller dan mechanical tamper
(untuk parit atau timbunan di sekeliling
dinding penahan tanah)

Beberapa type roller yang biasa digunakan :

Sheepfoots roller  untuk tanah cohesive seperti
lempung, lanau dll

Steel-wheeled roller, rubber tired roller,
vibrating compactor  untuk tanah berbutir

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Pengujian Pemadatan di
Laboratorium dan di Lapangan

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