EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF HEAVY COMPACTION AND SOAKED BEARING RATIO CHARACTERISTICS OF CLAY-SAND-GRAVEL MIXTURES

Abstract

The pavement structure distribute the load to the subgrade and depends on aggregate interlocking, moisture content, particle friction and cohesion for stability. The overall strength and performance of a pavement is dependent on load-bearing capacity of the subgrade soil. Subgrade structural capacity can improve the pavement load-bearing capacity and thus, pavement strength and performance. Subgrade strength is evaluated from its California Bearing Ratio value. CBR, Density, moisture content and type of soils are dominant geotechnical factors which affect the CBR value of a flexible pavement. If the subgrade is not compacted to an adequate density it will continue to compress causing pavement deformation. Soils containing gravel sized particles are generally over looked and attract much less attention than clay and sand. The present study focuses on the impact of clay fraction on heavy compaction and soaked bearing ratio behaviour of clay-sand-gravel mixture by a series of laboratory experiments. The modified compaction test and soaked bearing ratio tests were conducted on various content of clay-sandgravel mixture. The obtained results are graphically presented and statistically analysed. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to find out relationship for California bearing ratio of soaked conditions. Analysis of the experimental data indicated that there exist a good correlation among observed value and predict value of CBR.