Highway lab

CBR (California Bearing Test)

Prepared by:
Haval Essa Meshko
No. of test: 9 Date of make test: Date of report submits:

Supervised by:
Student: Haval Essa Meshko Civil Engineering 3rd stage

Mr. Bayar & Mr. Yousif 2010

INTRODUCTION
When we say CBR we mean by that California Bearing Test and this test is an empirical test but it's widely used in evaluating the strength of the compacting soil and layers thickness. , and is used in pavement design for both roads and airfields. The experts call it CBR refer to California, USA. Before the World War II the basic testing procedure employed in the determination of the CBR was developed by the California Division of Highways and was used by that agency in the design of flexible pavements.

This test is basically a penetration test, in which the load is required to cause a plunger of a standard size to penetrate a specimen of soil at a standard rate is measured.

Student: Haval Essa Meshko Civil Engineering 3rd stage

PURPOSE:
To determine the California bearing ratio (CBR) of pavement sub grade, sub base, and base/coarse materials from laboratory compacted specimens, which indicates the strength of the soil used in any project.

IQUPMENT & MATERIAL:

I. II. III. IV. V. VI. Cylindrical moulds Space disc Surcharge weights Compaction rammer Loading Machine Adjustable stem, perforated plate, tripod and gauge

Student: Haval Essa Meshko Civil Engineering 3rd stage

VII.

Others: Is sieves, Mixing bowl, Straight edge, Dial gauges, Soaking tank, Drying oven, Coarse filter paper, Dishes, Measuring jar, Balance, etc.

PROCEDURE:
1. Prepare 36 kg (for 3 samples) of an air dried soil, passes the (3/4 ") sieve. The materials must pass the (3/4) sieve If not it has to be replaced by an equivalent quantity passing sieve # 19 mm and retained on sieve # 4. 2. Determine the natural moisture content by oven dry about 200 g of the soil. 3. Add the required amount of water so that the moisture content of the sample is within 0.5 % of the optimum moisture content. 4. Weight the empty mold and the filled mould 5. Extension collar and perforated base plate and put a 150 mm diam. Course filter paper on the top of the spacer disc. 6. Compact the sample in 3 layers by 10 blows/layer using a specified hammer and height of drop. 7. Place the mould assembly with the surcharge weights on the penetration test machine. 8. Seat the penetration piston at the specimen with the smallest possible load, but in no case in excess of 4 kg so that full contact of the piston on the sample is established. 9. Set the stress and strain dial gauge to read zero. Apply the load on the piston so that the penetration

Student: Haval Essa Meshko Civil Engineering 3rd stage

rate is about 0.25 mm/min. 10. Record the load readings at penetrations of 0.25, 5 and 7.5 mm. 11.Test results are plotted in the form of a loadpenetration diagram by drawing curve through the experimental points. Usually the curve will be convex upwards, but sometimes the initial part of the curve is concave upwards and over this section, a correction becomes necessary. The correction consists of drawing a tangent to the curve at its steepest slope and producing it back to cut the penetration scale for the corrected curve. 12.Penetrations of 2. 5mm and 5mm are used for calculating the CBR value. From the test curve, with corrected penetration scale if appropriate, read off the forces corresponding to 2.5mm and 5mm penetration. Express these as a percentage of the standard forces at these penetrations. Take the higher percentage as the CBR value.

CALCULATION:

Student: Haval Essa Meshko Civil Engineering 3rd stage

DISCUSSION:
From the graph 4 we can see that the relation between the CBR after corrected & the Dry density as molded is not linear and it's change from time to another ( which the CBR was increase at the beginning when the Dry density increase but then the curve goes down were the CBR decrease when the dry density increase.

Student: Haval Essa Meshko Civil Engineering 3rd stage

To make the correction for the data it can be calculated by assuming that the maximum slope of the figure is the reference line for all the points. If the soil failed it can still used by to ways: (A) Add cement (expensive). (B) Add selected material. The CBR test should be used with soil at the calculated equilibrium moisture content although in the United States it is usual for sample to be soaked for four days prior to testing. CPR test help you use the material in the best way for the layers of roads, high way and air port. If the final results were between (0-7) then the aggregate of this experiment is very poor sub graded.

FIGURE:
Student: Haval Essa Meshko Civil Engineering 3rd stage

Student: Haval Essa Meshko Civil Engineering 3rd stage