A laboratory test program was undertaken to evaluate a series of engineering properties over a range of soil types; amendment types and addition rates; and moisture contents to enhance understanding of the engineering significance of polymer amendment. Four soils were manufactured and tested with varying ranges of fines and plasticity. A proprietary elastic copolymer was tested at addition rates of 0.5% to 2.5% (dry weight basis). Cement was tested at addition rates of 1% to 4%. Lime was tested at an 8% addition rate. Water addition rates ranged from 4% dry of optimum to 4% wet of optimum. Engineering properties determined throughout the test program included dry unit weight / moisture content relationships through compaction tests; shear strength through unconfined compression strength tests and direct shear tests; durability through freeze-thaw and wet-dry durability tests; and stiffness through resilient modulus tests and through interpretation of the unconfined compression and direct shear test results. The addition of polymer altered the optimum moisture content of the soils. Change in optimum moisture content ranged from 0.51 to 1.27 times the control water demand. The dry unit weight of polymer amended specimens ranged from 0.97 to 1.01 times their respective control dry unit weight. The peak strength of polymer amended specimens ranged from 1.02 to 18.4 times the control strength. The peak wet-dry and freeze-thaw durability of polymer amended specimens ranged from 6.8 to 10.8 times the control durability. The addition of polymer increased the peak initial stiffness of specimens to approximately 3 times the control stiffness. However, the stiffness was reduced to 0.68 times the control stiffness with dynamic repeated loading through the resilient modulus test. The polymer addition rate required to achieve peak engineering performance ranged from 0.5% to 2.5%, based on soil type. Polymer modified the engineering properties of soil through physical bonding. The amount of polymer required to modify the engineering properties was directly related to specific surface and soil particle coating thickness. It was determined that polymer amendment had an optimal addition rate that resulted in the greatest increase in engineering parameters. The addition rate was optimum when polymer was applied at rates high enough to sufficiently coat all soil particle surfaces, but at rates low enough that it did not cause additional particle separation. Overall, polymer amendment of soil improved or maintained all tested engineering parameters, except the resilient modulus, of all soils. Polymer amended soils displayed a reduced performance compared to cement amended soils, and an improved performance compared to lime amended soils.

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has fully implemented the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide for pavement design but has been using primarily level-three design inputs obtained from correlations to aggregate base materials developed at the national level. UDOT was interested in investigating correlations between laboratory measurements of resilient modulus, California bearing ratio (CBR), and other material properties specific to base materials commonly used in Utah; therefore, a statewide testing program was needed. The objectives of this research were to 1) determine the resilient modulus of several representative aggregate base materials in Utah and 2) investigate correlations between laboratory measurements of resilient modulus, CBR, and other properties of the tested materials. Two aggregate base materials were obtained from each of the four UDOT regions. Important material properties, including particle-size distribution, soil classification, and the moisture-density relationship, were investigated for each of the sampled aggregate base materials. The CBR and resilient modulus of each aggregate base material were determined in general accordance with American Society for Testing and Materials D1883 and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials T 307, respectively. After all of the data were collected, several existing models were evaluated to determine if one or more of them could be used to predict the resilient modulus values measured in this research. Statistical analyses were also performed to investigate correlations between measurements of resilient modulus, CBR, and other properties of the tested aggregate base materials, mainly including aspects of the particle-size distributions and moisture-density relationships. A set of independent predictor variables was analyzed using both stepwise regression and best subset analysis to develop a model for predicting resilient modulus. After a suitable model was developed, it was analyzed to determine the sensitivity of the model coefficients to the individual data points. For the aggregate base materials tested in this research, the average resilient modulus varied from 16.0 to 25.6 ksi. Regarding the correlation between resilient modulus and CBR, the test results show that resilient modulus and CBR are not correlated for the materials tested in this research. Therefore, a new model was developed to predict the resilient modulus based on the percent passing the No. 200 sieve, particle diameter corresponding to 30 percent finer, optimum moisture content, maximum dry density (MDD), and ratio of dry density to MDD. Although the equation may not be applicable for values outside the ranges of the predictor variables used to develop it, it is expected to provide UDOT with reasonable estimates of resilient modulus values for aggregate base materials similar to those tested in this research.

No description available.

No description available.

This study focused on the material characterization of granular materials containing different percentages of “RAP”. A series of laboratory tests results were carried out to determine the physical and mechanical properties of natural aggregates and various aggregate-RAP blends. The results were used to evaluate methods to develop high-performance granular layer for pavement construction through proper compaction and control of RAP usage. The resilient modulus and accumulative deformation characteristics were determined in relation to RAP content, relative density, compaction method, stress level, stress state and the number of load applications. The effects of RAP content and density on the CBR values of aggregate-RAP blends under various conditions were also investigated. In addition, the effect of small strain cyclic loading on shear strength of aggregate-RAP blends was observed in laboratory tests. Results from this investigation demonstrated that: 1) adding RAP to natural aggregates may increase the resilient modulus of natural aggregates, and optimum content can be found to achieve the highest resilient modulus; 2) resilient modulus generally increases with density; higher density of aggregate-RAP blends can be achieved by using methods combining vibration and static loading. 3) deviatoric stress has more pronounced influence on accumulative deformation than confining pressure. 4) proper compaction method can reduce accumulative deformation of samples. 5) addition of RAP into aggregates results in little change in accumulative deformation when the RAP content is less than a threshold. 6) CBR value decreases with increasing RAP content and decreasing compaction effort or compacted dry density. 7) shear strength of an aggregate-RAP blend tends to increase after small strain cyclic loading. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

In the current mechanistic-empirical (M-E) design procedures for flexible pavements, the primary transfer functions are those that relate (a) maximum tensile strain in the hot-mix asphalt (HMA) surface layer to fatigue cracking and (b) compressive strain at the top of the subgrade layer to rutting at the surface. These functions, called fatigue and rutting equations, are usually derived from statistically based correlations of pavement condition with observed laboratory specimen performance, full-scale road test experiments or by both methods. Hot-mix asphalt fatigue behavior is an important component of a M-E design procedure; unfortunately, most of the existing models do not reflect field fatigue behavior. This is manifested in the fact that HMA fatigue failure is achieved much faster under a laboratory setting than in a field environment. This difference has been typically accounted for by the use of a single shift factor based mainly on engineering experience. The flexible pavement portion of the Virginia Smart Road includes 12 different flexible pavement designs. Each section is approximately 100m long. The sections are instrumented with pressure cells, strain gages, time-domain reflectometry probes, thermocouples, and frost probes. The instruments were embedded as layers were built. Laboratory fatigue tests of field cores and field-mixed laboratory-compacted specimens along with measured response from the instrumented pavement sections at the Virginia Smart Road were used to quantify the differences between laboratory and field environments. Four shift factors were identified to correlate field and lab fatigue behavior: stress-state, material difference, traffic wander, and healing. Field-measured critical strains and strain energy exerted during truck loading were both used to determine the stress state shift factor. Strain measurements of truck loading distribution (wander) were used to determine the wander shift factor. Finally, results from laboratory fatigue tests on cores and laboratory compacted specimens were used to evaluated a shift factor to account for the difference in compaction procedures. While the derived shift factors utilize the measured stresses and strains at the Virginia Smart Road, calculated strains and stresses, based on appropriate pavement and loading modeling, may also be used. / Ph. D.

Cement Kiln Dust (CKD) and Micronized Rubber Powder (MRP) offer sustainable solutions for soil stabilization, addressing both environmental and engineering challenges. CKD, a byproduct of cement manufacturing, is rich in pozzolanic materials that can enhance clayey soil properties by reducing plasticity and increasing strength. This makes CKD a valuable additive for improving the load-bearing capacity and durability of clayey soils used in construction. MRP, derived from end-of-life tires, contributes to sustainability by recycling waste rubber and adding ductility to treated soils. The incorporation of rubber waste not only helps in reducing the environmental burden of tire disposal but also enhances the flexibility and resilience of the stabilized clayey soil. Utilizing these industrial by-products in soil stabilization not only mitigates waste disposal issues but also promotes the development of resilient and eco-friendly construction materials, making them highly beneficial for sustainable infrastructure projects.The present study investigates the effects of various mix proportions of CKD and MRP on Carbondale soil, a high plastic clay. The soil was stabilized with CKD in proportions of 7%, 14%, and 21%, and MRP in proportions of 0%, 2.5%, 5%, and 10% of the dry unit weight of clayey soil. Comprehensive laboratory tests were conducted, including particle size distribution, Atterberg limits, compaction characteristics using the miniature Proctor, unconfined compressive strength (UCS), ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), and resilient modulus (RM). The RM test assessed the soil's elasticity under repeated loading, simulating traffic conditions to evaluate the material's performance in pavement design. These tests aimed to determine the optimal mix proportions that would provide the best combination of strength, stiffness, and durability for use in various geotechnical applications. Results from different tests showed that the addition of MRP significantly altered the properties of the CKD-stabilized soil mix. The miniature Proctor test revealed that the addition of MRP reduced the maximum dry density (MDD) of the mix and slightly increased the optimum moisture content (OMC) of the soil mix, indicating a change in compaction characteristics. From the UCS test, it was observed that while the addition of 2.5% MRP to the CKD soil mix reduced the overall strength, it absorbed considerable amount of strain. Specifically, for soil mixed with 7% CKD, the inclusion of 2.5% MRP absorbed over 60% more strain, despite a 50% reduction in strength. Similarly, the mix with 21% CKD and 2.5% MRP showed a 30% increase in peak strain with a strength reduction of up to 40%. The resilient modulus values indicated that the addition of MRP to the soil mix resulted in strain softening, leading to decreased RM values. The soil mix with 7% CKD and 2.5% MRP showed almost no gain in RM values across all curing periods due to strain softening effects. However, the regression analysis between predicted and experimental RM values showed a positive correlation, with a coefficient of determination (R2) ranging from 0.7 to 0.96, indicating a reliable predictive model for RM based on the tested parameters. These findings highlight the trade-offs between strength and stiffness in CKD and MRP-stabilized soils, offering insights for optimizing soil stabilization techniques in sustainable construction practices

Waste generation is a constant activity of daily life, encompassing a wide variety including municipal, hazardous, industrial, agricultural, medical, radioactive, and mining waste, as well as sewage sludge. The purpose of this study is to concentrate on utilizing industrial waste, which adversely affects our environment, for use in engineering construction projects. This aims to evaluate the enhancement in both the soil’s index and engineering properties. In most civil engineering projects, the underlying soils are often unsuitable for construction purposes. Some of these soils experience significant volume changes due to moisture variations, leading to damage and instability of structures and infrastructure built on them. The complete removal and replacement of such high plastic clay and expansive soils is not always a cost-effective solution. Therefore, there's a pressing need to improve their utility by stabilizing them through eco-friendly and sustainable methods.The present research employs five industrial waste materials to enhance the clayey soil available in Carbondale, Illinois. These waste materials include Lime Sludge (LS), Lime Kiln Dust (LKD), Fly Ash (FA), Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS), and Cement Kiln Dust (CKD). Lime Sludge and Lime Kiln Dust were mixed with the soil at proportions of 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%. In contrast, Fly Ash and Cement Kiln Dust were used at higher ratios of 8%, 16%, 24%, and 32%. Lastly, Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag was added at levels of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%, all based on the soil's dry unit weight. The samples were prepared for Unconfined Compression Strength (UCS) and Resilient Modulus (RM) based on the Optimum Moisture Content (OMC) and Maximum Dry Density (MDD) data obtained from miniature Proctor test. These specimens underwent a 14-day curing period, sealed in plastic film and Ziploc bags, and were stored in a controlled water tub at room temperature. The UCS value for the untreated Carbondale soil was 320 kN/m2. The results indicated that with higher content of Lime Kiln Dust (LKD) and Cement Kiln Dust (CKD), the UCS strength tends to increase with CKD exhibiting the most desirable strength characteristics. The UCS value for 8% LKD was 1377.70 kN/m2 i.e., 330.52% increase. While the UCS improvements for 5% GGBS is 51.32% and 6% Lime Sludge (LS) is 51.65% with no significant enhancements, these waste materials can be more effective as modifiers. Furthermore, the study revealed that the optimal quantity of Class F fly ash for soil stabilization is 8% by dry unit weight with UCS value of 486.46 kN/m2 resulting in 52.01% increase in UCS strength, exceeding this percentage might cause reduction in strength. The highest UCS strength was obtained with 24% CKD at 3263.14 kN/m2 which corresponds to 919.70% increase when compared to the untreated soil. The results of the Resilient Modulus (RM or Mr) test indicate that the incorporation of additives to untreated Carbondale soil significantly improved its stiffness characteristics and resistance to different load cycles on the subgrade. However, the soil treated with GGBS showed a decrease in stiffness. The Resilient Modulus values ranged from 2% to 70% for LS, 47% to 128% for LKD, 4% to 35% for FA, 90% to 243% for CKD, and -16% to 0.3% for GGBS for different confining pressures. The regression analysis, using the Uzan (1985) model, showed R² values of 0.910, 0.838, 0.803, 0.871, 0.773, and 0.809 for Carbondale soil, Carbondale soil mixed with 6% LS, 8% LKD, 8% FA, 5% GGBS, and 24% CKD, respectively. These results confirm the reliability of the test, as all samples except the GGBS-treated one have R² values greater than 0.800. Additionally, consolidation tests were conducted to assess the compressibility characteristics of the additives in the soil. The selected samples were those with the mix proportions that yielded the highest UCS strength for each additive. These samples were meticulously prepared based on the moisture-density relationship obtained from the miniature Proctor test and were subjected to loading and unloading in a specific sequence. The results indicated an increase in the Compression Index (Cc) for mixtures with LS, LKD, FA, and CKD. Conversely, the mix containing GGBS displayed a reduction in the Compression Index (Cc). The Carbondale soil stabilized with 6% LS can be used for subbase stabilization as the UCS strength is greater than 345 kPa. Also, 2 to 8% LKD content can be used for subbase and base course stabilization. 8% FA without any activator can be used for subbase stabilizer. GGBS can be used for subbase soil stabilization and finally CKD can be used for both subbase and base course stabilization.

O comportamento mecânico do subleito tem influência determinante no desempenho das estruturas de pavimento. Porém, muitas vezes, os estudos realizados para elaboração de projetos são simplistas e não levam em conta as variações de comportamento mecânico que podem ocorrer, seja por fatores construtivos, seja ambientais, como umidade, durante o período de operação. Neste sentido, métodos de dimensionamento mecanicistas-empíricos de estruturas de pavimentos empregam modelos de comportamento das diversas camadas da estrutura e do subleito, sendo alvos de constantes revisões para recalibração destes modelos, de modo que se aproximem mais da realidade do comportamento em serviço. As calibrações dos modelos são necessárias para aumentar a confiabilidade do dimensionamento de modo a garantir pavimentos mais duráveis, e para otimizar custos de execução e de manutenção ao longo da vida útil das estruturas. Neste contexto o presente trabalho propõe uma metodologia para compreender as propriedades dos solos do subleito e de suas variações, estabelecendo um programa de ensaios de campo e de laboratório, cadastramento, processamento e combinação de resultados de propriedades físicas e mecânicas de solos de subleitos de pavimentos de rodovias existentes. O objetivo final é estabelecer parâmetros de deformabilidade elástica de solos do subleito e sua variabilidade para auxiliar no dimensionamento de novas estruturas de pavimentos e reabilitação das antigas. O trabalho utiliza estudos de casos de pavimentos rodoviários em operação. O primeiro caso foi base para o estabelecimento metodológico de estudo desejável do subleito de um pavimento existente, concebendo modelos de previsão de comportamento resiliente do subleito para uso em futuros projetos de restauração deste pavimento ou para novos projetos em locais com similaridade de ocorrência de solos. Empregando a metodologia estabelecida no primeiro caso, fez-se uma busca minuciosa de dados em vários documentos existentes sobre pavimentos rodoviários de concessionárias do Estado de São Paulo, concebendo-se um banco de dados para análise do subleito destes pavimentos, de modo a ampliar a gama de solos pesquisados. Com resultados de caracterização de solos em laboratório e de deflectometria em campo, além de dados de localização dos pontos estudados em mapas geológicos e pedológicos, dados de precipitação, de terraplenagem, entre outros, pôde-se analisar os dados e identificar a influência de cada elemento na variação do módulo de resiliência dos solos de fundação de pavimentos em serviço. O banco de dados de ensaios laboratoriais de solos de subleito contou com um total de 3.894 registros e de ensaios não destrutivos deflectométricos de campo com um total de 169.525 registros (dados históricos de nove rodovias estaduais diferentes). Dentre as principais conclusões, verificou-se que grande parte dos modelos de correlações existentes na literatura entre parâmetros de propriedades físicas e de resistência (como CBR) de solos com o módulo de resiliência possui aplicação muito restrita, inviabilizando sua aplicação de forma indiscriminada em locais distintos daqueles onde foram obtidas as correlações. Além disso, verificou-se que o módulo de resiliência do subleito em campo apresenta variações de grande magnitude e, portanto, é de difícil previsão, requerendo acumulação de dados históricos, bem como de um cadastro adicional de maior gama de informações. Recomenda-se que maiores quantidades de ensaios sejam realizadas e que permitam verificação, ou dupla checagem, para validação, bem como para futuramente ser possível o estabelecimento de modelos matemáticos mais confiáveis. Nos estudos, foi possível estabelecer parâmetros estatísticos que podem ser utilizados tanto em métodos de dimensionamento vigentes ou novos, como naquelas que consideram as variações do módulo de resiliência do subleito para determinação do risco de falha, ou da confiabilidade das estruturas. / Subgrade mechanical behavior has a determining influence on the performance of pavement structures. However, often, the studies carried out for project designs are simplistic and do not take into account the variations that can occur in the mechanical behavior, whether by constructive factors or environmental ones, such as the moisture content during the operation period. Thus, mechanical-empirical design methods of pavement structures employ performance models of the many layers of the structure and of the subgrade, being targets of constant revisions for adjustment of these models so that they come closer to reality in operation behavior. Model adjustments are necessary to increase design reliability to ensure more durable pavements and to optimize execution and maintenance costs during the structure life. In this context, the present work proposes a methodology to understand the subgrade soil properties and their variations, establishing a program of field and laboratory tests, registration, processing and combination of results of physical and mechanical properties of subgrade soils of existing highway pavements. The final objective is to establish parameters of the subgrade soil elastic deformability and their variability to assist in the design of new pavement structures and in the rehabilitation of old ones. This work uses case studies of road pavements in operation. The first case was the basis for the methodological establishment of a desirable study of the subgrade of an existing pavement, designing predictive models of the subgrade resilient behavior for use in future rehabilitation projects of this pavement or for new projects in places with a similar occurrence of soils. By using the methodology established in the first case, a thorough data search was carried out in several existing documents on road pavements of concessionaires in the State of São Paulo, and a database was prepared to analyze the subgrade of such pavements in order to expand the range of soils studied. With the results of soil characterization in the laboratory and by field deflections, in addition to location data of the points studied in geological and pedological maps, precipitation and earthwork data, among others, it was possible to analyze the data and identify the influences of each element on the variation of the subgrade resilient modulus of the pavements in operation. The database from laboratory tests of subgrade soils covered a total of 3,894 registers and of non-destructive deflectometric field tests - a total of 169,525 registers (historical data on nine different state highways). Among the main conclusions, it was verified that most of the correlation models existing in the literature between parameters of physical and mechanical strength properties (like the CBR) of soils with the resilient moduli have very restricted application, making it impossible to apply them indiscriminately in places other than those where the correlations were obtained. In addition, it was verified that the resilient modulus of the subbase in situ presents variations of great magnitude and, therefore, it is difficult to make predictions. Lots of historical data are required, as well as additional registers of a greater range of information. Therefore, it is recommended that a larger number of tests be performed in order to allow for checking and double-checking for validation as well as the possibility of a future establishment of more reliable mathematical models. In the studies, it was possible to establish statistical parameters that can be used both in current and in new design methods, like in those that consider variations of the subgrade resilient moduli to determine the risk of failure or of the reliability of structures.

Esta pesquisa apresenta uma contribuição ao entendimento do efeito da variação do estado de tensões e variação de umidade na compactação, na suscetibilidade à deformação permanente dos solos de subleito. Assim, um programa experimental foi desenvolvido considerando as variáveis o estado de tensões e a umidade, que são importantes na análise da evolução da deformação permanente dos solos de subleito. Para esta avaliação, foi utilizado um solo arenoso laterítico proveniente da região de Dois Córregos, estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Foram realizados ensaios de caracterização e ensaios triaxiais de cargas repetidas (módulo de resiliência e deformação permanente). Adicionalmente, foi analisado o efeito do acúmulo de deformação permanente nos valores de módulo de resiliência, que foi efetuado a partir de ensaios realizados antes e após o ensaio de deformação permanente. Além disso, de posse dos resultados de deformação permanente foi verificada a ocorrência do Shakedown. Concluiu-se que um aumento de tensões causa um aumento na deformação permanente, não sendo possível avaliar o efeito da variação de umidade na deformação permanente. Observou-se a ocorrência do Shakedown, porém não foi possível definir seu limite. Não foi possível o enquadramento da deformação permanente no modelo de Monismith, sendo proposto, por meio de regressão múltipla, um modelo para avaliação da deformação permanente, considerando as variáveis, umidade, número de aplicações de carga e estado de tensões. / This research presents a contribution to understanding the effect of the variation of the state of stress and water content in the evolution of the permanent deformation of subgrade soils. A lateritic sandy soil from the region of Dois Córregos, State of São Paulo, Brazil, was used throughout the characterization and triaxial repeated loads tests (resilient module and permanent deformation tests). Additionally, it was analyzed the effect of the accumulation of permanent deformation in the values of resilient module from tests performed before and after the permanent deformation tests, as well as it was verified the occurrence of Shakedown. It was concluded that an increase of stress causes an increase in permanent deformation, but it was not possible to evaluate the effect of the variation of moisture content in permanent deformation. It was also observed the occurrence of Shakedown, but it was not possible to set its limit. Furthermore, it was not possible to fit the permanent deformation testing data in the model of Monismith, being proposed, by means of multiple regression, a model for the assessment of permanent deformation considering the variables moisture content, number of load applications and state of stress.