Sathawara et al, International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Studies

E-ISSN22498974

Research Paper

COMPARISON BETWEEN SOAKED AND UNSOAKED CBR

1

Sathawara Jigar K., 2Prof. A.K.Patel

Address for Correspondence

1

M. E. Student, (Transporation Eng.) Civil Department L. D. College of Engineering, Ahmedabad.

2
Lecturer, Civil Engg. Dept.Government polytechnic College Himatnagar.

ABSTRACT
Pavements are a conglomeration of materials. These materials, their associated properties, and their interactions determine
the properties of the resultant pavement. Thus, a good understanding of these materials, how they are characterized, and how
they perform is fundamental to understanding pavement. The materials which are used in the construction of highway are of
intense interest to the highway engineer. This requires not only a thorough understanding of the soil and aggregate properties
which affect pavement stability and durability, but also the binding materials which may be added to improve these
pavement features. Soil is an accumulation or deposit of earth material, derived naturally from the disintegration of rocks or
decay of vegetation, that can be excavated readily with power equipment in the field or disintegrated by gentle mechanical
means in the laboratory. The supporting soil beneath pavement and its special under courses is called sub grade. Undisturbed
soil beneath the pavement is called natural sub grade. Compacted sub grade is the soil compacted by controlled movement of
heavy compactors. The performance of pavements depends to a large extent on the strength and stiffness of the subgrades.
Among the various methods of evaluating the subgrade strength, CBR test is important but quick estimate of CBR is very
important for highway engineer so this paper is focus on compression of soaked and unsoaked CBR value.
KEY WORDS: California bearing ratio, Soaked CBR, Unsoaked CBR

INTRODUCTION
The load bearing capacity of the soil supporting
highways, airfield runways and other pavement
systems is of immense importance to the integrity of
the pavement. This load-bearing capacity, or soil
stiffness, changes from time to time and can vary
from place to place within a given area.
Soil stiffness is the degree of resistance to
deformation upon loading. The extent and timedependence of, and the degree of recovery from,
deformation is primarily dependent upon the soil's
properties, existing stress conditions, and the stress
history. Soil properties in turn are determined by a
variety of complex interrelated factors, including
composition particle size and particle-size
distribution, weight-volume relationships, and in-situ
stresses.The stability or load-bearing capacity
(capability) of the pavement of airport runways,
highways and other pavement systems is determined
in significant part by the load-bearing capacity of the
underlying subpavement) earth or soil, which may
deteriorate over time due to environmental and stress
influences on soil properties. For instance, changes in
soil load-bearing conditions due to changes in
moisture content and/or repeated loading over time
are well recognized in engineering fields. In addition,
certain pavement systems such as runways and
highways typically endure repeated severe loadings
on a daily basis.
The proper determination of existing bearing-load
capacities of soil-supported pavement systems
requires that the existing soil conditions be defined
and evaluated. Conventional soil-structure modeling
is based on the results of laboratory testing of
individual localized soil samples, as in the case of the
well-known California Bearing Ratio, or CBR,
laboratory test. However, tests such as the CBR are
severely disadvantaged because the test conditions
and the soil sample (specimen) are not representative
of in-situ conditions. Absent are (a) in-situ
overburden stress, (b) in-situ soil interactions, and the
like. Further, many if not most soil samples have been
disturbed to some degree during sampling and
IJAERS/Vol. II/ Issue III/April-June, 2013/132-135

handling. A true composite soil stiffness

determination can only be determined using actual
stiffness data of in-situ soil conditions at varying
depths (varying subgrade conditions).
Another known method for determining composite
soil stiffness is the use of plate bearing tests on the
surface of soil layers. As mentioned herein above, the
current most widely used way to determine soil
stiffness is by using the California Bearing Ratio
(CBR) test on soil samples that are prepared in the
laboratory, the objective being to calculate with the
stiffness, or resilient modulus of soil. As per
MORT&H Specifications, subgrade can be defined as
a compacted layer, generally of naturally occurring
local soil, assumed to be 300 mm in thickness, just
beneath the pavement crust, providing a suitable
foundation for the pavement. The subgrade in
embankment is compacted in two layers, usually to a
higher standard than the lower part of the
embankment. In cuttings, the cut formation, which
serves as the subgrade, is treated similarly to provide
a suitable foundation for the pavement.
Where the naturally occurring local subgrade soils
have poor engineering properties and low strength in
terms of CBR, for example in Black Cotton soil
areas, improved subgrades are provided by way of
lime/cement treatment or by mechanical stabilization
and other similar techniques.
The subgrade, whether in cutting or in embankment,
should be well compacted to utilize its full strength
and to economize on the overall pavement thickness.
The current MORT&H Specifications require that the
subgrade should be compacted to 98 %. Maximum
Dry Density achieved by the Modified Proctor Test
(IS 2720-Part 7). The material used for subgrade
construction should have a dry unit weight of not less
than 16.5kN/m3.
DETERMINING SUBGRADE
STRENGTH
FOR DESIGNING
For the pavement design of new roads the subgrade
strength needs to be evaluated in terms of CBR value
which can be estimated by any of the following
methods:

Sathawara et al, International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Studies

Based on soil classification tests and the

table given in IRC:SP:72-2007 which gives
typical presumptive design CBR values for
soil samples compacted to proctor density at
optimum moisture content and soaked under
water for 4 days.

Using a Nomograph based on wet sieve
analysis data, for estimating 4-day soaked
CBR values on samples compacted to
proctor density.

Using two sets of equations, based on
classification test data, one for plastic soils
and the other for non-plastic soils, for
estimating soaked CBR values on samples
compacted to proctor density.

By conducting actual CBR tests in the
laboratory.
The third and forth method come in handy where
adequate testing facilities are not available or the
project is of such a size as to not to warrant elaborate
testing procedures.
QUICK ESTIMATION OF CBR
Plastic soil
CBR= 75/(1+0.728 WPI),
Where WPI= weighted plasticity index= P0.075 PI
PI= Plasticity index of soil in %
P0.075= % Passing 0.075 mm sieve in decimal
Non- Plastic soil
CBR= 28.091(D60)0.3581
\Where D60= Diameter in mm of the grain size
corresponding to 60% finer.
Soil classification can be used for preliminary report
preparation.
CALIFORNIA BEARING RATIO
(The actual laboratory method)
The CBR test was originally developed by O.J. Porter
for the California Highway Department during the
1920s. It is a load-deformation test performed in the
laboratory or the field, whose results are then used
with an empirical design chart to determine the
thickness of flexible pavement, base, and other layers
for a given vehicle loading. Though the test
originated in California, the California Department of
Transportation and most other highway agencies have
since abandoned the CBR method of pavement
design. In the 1940s, the US Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE) adopted the CBR method of
design for flexible airfield pavements.
The thickness of different elements comprising a
pavement is determined by CBR values. The CBR

test is a small scale penetration test in which a

cylindrical plunger of 3 in2 (5 cm in dia) crosssection is penetrated into a soil mass ( i.e., sub-grade
material ) at the rate of 0.05 in. per minute (1.25
mm/minute). Observations are taken between the
penetration resistance (called the test load ) versus the
penetration of plunger. The penetration resistance of
the plunger into a standard sample of crushed stone
for the corresponding penetration is called standard
load. The California bearing ratio, abbreviated as
CBR is defined as the ratio of the test load to the
standard load , expressed as percentage for a given
penetration of the plunger. CBR = (Test
load/Standard load)100 The table gives the standard
loads adopted for different penetrations for the
standard material with a CBR value of 100%.
EXPERIMENTAL WORK
Six Lot of soil samples as per classification viz. CH,
CI, CL, ML, SC and SM samples are moulded at its
optimum moisture content to its proctor density was
tested for its soaked and unsoaked CBR strength and
also carried out IS classification as per IS 2720 and
wet sieve analysis also carried out by four soil
sample. Thus the process comprises of three parts.
1. On original sample carried out first wet sieve
analysis, liquid limit and plastic limit.
2. Estimation of proctor density and optimum
moisture content for each soil sample.
3. Moulding the soil sample into standard
moulds keeping its moisture content and dry
density exactly same as its optimum
moisture content and proctor density
respectively.
4. Determination of CBR strength of the
respective soil samples in moulds using the
CBR instrument.
5. Each soil sample is tested for its soaked
CBR and unsoaked CBR strength after being
soaked in water for 4 days.
TEST RESULTS
Six Lot of soil samples as per as per test result CL,
ML, SC and SM samples are moulded at its optimum
moisture content to its proctor density was tested for
its soaked and unsoaked CBR strength and also
carried out IS Classification.
Where,
CL =
ML =
SC =
SM =

Inorganic Clays of Low to Medium Plasticity.

Inorganic Silts of Low to Medium Plasticity.
Clayey Sands.
Silty Sands.

Table 1.1 Analysis of CL Type Soil

IJAERS/Vol. II/ Issue III/April-June, 2013/132-135

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Sathawara et al, International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Studies

Fig 1.1 Graph of CL Result

Table 1.2 Analysis of ML Type Soil

Fig 1.2 Graph of ML Result

Table 1.3 Analysis of SC Type Soil

Fig 1.3 Graph of SC Result

IJAERS/Vol. II/ Issue III/April-June, 2013/132-135

E-ISSN22498974

Sathawara et al, International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Studies

Fig 1.4 Graph of SM Result

Table 1.4 Analysis of SM Type Soil

CONCLUSION
From this regression analysis derived equations.
Correlation between unsoaked CBR and soaked CBR
for CL type soil is
Y = 0.936x0.819, R = 0.828 .(1)
Correlation between unsoaked CBR and soaked CBR
for ML type soil is
Y = 1.056x0.850, R = 0.850 .(2)
Correlation between unsoaked CBR and soaked CBR
for SC type soil is
Y = 0.666x1.086, R = 0.981 .(3)
Correlation between unsoaked CBR and soaked CBR
for SM type soil is
Y = 0.906x0.775, R = 0.863 .(4)
From above equation the soaked CBR can easily
derived for various type of soil. Four days soaking
period is very long time and quickly derivation of
CBR for pavement design. Each soil CBR is depends
on the Grain Size Analysis and Atturburgs Limit and
their classification.
REFERENCE

IRC- SP-72, Guidelines for the Design of Flexible

Pavements for low volume of Rural road
IS 2720 Part-5 Metod of test for Soil-Determination
of Liquid limit and Plastic limit
IS 2720 Part 8 Metod of test for Soil-Determination
of Water Contenent,Dry density relation using a heavy
Compation
IS 2720 Part-16 Metod of test for Soil-Laboratory
determination of CBRPartha Chakroborty & Animesh
Das Principles of Transportation Engineering
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways Report of
the Specifications for Road and Bridge Work in India.

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E-ISSN22498974