CALIFORNIA BEARING RATIO (CBR) TEST

Objective:
To determine the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) of the subgrade soil in the Lab.

Apparatus Required :
i. Cylindrical moulds
ii. Space disc
iii. Surcharge weights
iv. Compaction rammer
v. Loading Machine
vi. Adjustable stem, perforated plate, tripod and gauge
vii. Others: Is sieves, Mixing bowl, Straight edge, Dial gauges, Soaking tank, Drying
oven, Coarse filter paper, Dishes, Measuring jar, Balance, etc.

Theory :
California bearing ratio (CBR) test is developed by California Division of Highway for
evaluating the strength of subgrade soil and subgrade soil and base course materials for
flexible pavements. After Second World War, the U.S. crop of Engineers adopted CBR
test for use in the design of base course for the airfield pavements. The test is empirical
and the results of this test cant be related accurately with the fundamental properties of
the material but useful in the design of flexible pavements. Unless the test procedure is
strictly followed, dependable results cant be obtained. Based on the extensive CBR test
data collected, empirical design charts were developed by the California State Highway
Department, correlating the CBR value and flexible pavement thickness required. Indian
Road Congress (IRC) also uses this type of chart. As per IS: 2720 (part XIV)-1979, the
CBR is define as the ratio of force per unit arearequired to penetrate a soil mass with a
circular plunger of 50 mm diameter at a rate of 1.25 mm/min to force per unit area
required for corresponding penetration of a standard material.
Mathematically:

Hence, CBR is the relative measure of the strength of the soil or aggregate with respect
to crushing. Standard load is that load which has been obtained from tests on crushed
stone whose CBR value is taken to be 100% (table1.1). The ratio is usually determined
for penetration of 2.5 mm and 5.0 mm.
A graph (load Vs Penetration ) of Load as ordinate and Penetration as abscissa is
drawn and CBR value for 2.5 mm and 5.0 mm penetration are calculated for each
specimen from these graphs. Sometimes the initial portion of the curve is concave due
to surface irregularities. In such a case correction is applied by drawing a tangent at the
point of greatest slope. The point where this tangent meets the abscissa is the corrected
zero reading of penetration.
Generally, CBR at 2.5 mm is greater and this value is adopted. If CBR at 5.0 mm is
greater, the test is repeated. If again such condition arises, the higher value is adopted.
According to IRC, if the variation of results between three specimen is beyond the
maximum permissible variations (table 1.1) , the test is repeated for next three
specimens and average of these six specimen is adopted.

CBR test can be done in the filed or in the lab but the method is different. CBR test is
Lab may be performed on:
A. Undisturbed soil Specimen:
Due to high degree of disturbances in the soil sample, the test on undisturbed soil
specimen is not generally done.
B. Disturbed or Remoulded soil Specimen:
The test on demand or Remoulded soil specimen is generally done. Test specimens are
prepared by compacting soil either by static Compaction or Dynamic Compaction.
1. Statically Compacted Specimen:
When static compaction is adopted the specimen is called Statically Compacted
Specimen. For static compaction, the batch of soil is mixed with water to give the
required moisture content; the correct weight of moist soil to obtain the desired density is
placed in the mould and compaction is attained by pressing the spacer disc using a
compaction machine or jack. Generally, preparation of specimen by static compaction is
not adopted.
2. Dynamically Compacted Specimen:
When dynamic compaction is adopted the specimen is called Dynamically Compacted
Specimen.
Preparation of disturbed soil specimens by dynamic compaction is more commonly
adopted. Dynamic
compaction can be achieved either by IS Light Compaction or by IS Heavy Compaction.
a. IS Light Compaction (proctor test):
For this, soil is compacted in three layers each of compacted thickness about 44 mm by
applying 56 evenly distributed blows of the 2.6 kg Rammer from 31 cm height.
b. IS Heavy Compaction( Modified Proctor Test or Modified AASHO Compaction ):
For this, soil is compacted in five layers each of compacted thickness about 26.5 mm by
applying 56 evenly distributed blows of the 4.89 kg Rammer from 45 cm height.

PROCEDURE :
The following procedure was done:
Three specimens are prepared in the following manner and tested for better result.
A. Preparation of Disturbed (remoulded) Specimen by dynamic Compaction:
1. The oven dried material through 20 mm IS sieve was sieved and was let to retain on
the IS sieve of 4.75 mm.
2. About 6.5 kg of the mixture of course and fine grained granular soil in the mixing pan
was taken.
3. Water was added such that the moisture content of the specimen was equal to the
optimum moisture content of the specimen.
4. Soil and water was mixed up uniformly.
5. The coarse filter paper was placed on the mould clamped with collar.
6. Soil water mix was poured in the mould in such a quantity that after compaction, about
1/5th of the mould was filled for IS heavy compaction.
7. 56 Blows was given for each of 5 layers of sample by 4.89 KG hammer dropping
through 450 mm evenly spread surface.
8. After the 5 layers compaction, the extension collar was removed and the excess soil
sample was trimmed. A little sample was taken fro the determination of moisture content.
9. Then the weight of the sample with the method without the collar was taken.
10. Then a course filter paper was placed on the perforated base plate.
11. The mould containing the compaced soil was then inverted and was clamped to the
base plate.
B. Preparation of soaked specimen.
1. Another filterpaper was placed on the top surface of the sample and the perforated
plate was placed with the adjustable stem.
2. Surcharge weight of 2.5 KG was placed over the perforated plate and the whole
mould with the weights was placed in the water tank for soaking.
3. Then the swell measuring device consisting of the tripod and dial gauge was kept one
the mould.
4. Initial gauge readily was set to zero and the sample was let to soak for 96 hrs.
5. After 4 days the final reading of the dial gauge was noted.
6. The swell measuring device was then removed and was let to consolidate for 15 min.
7. The surcharge weight was removed.

C. Testing the specimen

1. Again the surcharge weight was placed over the base plate centrally.
2. The mould with the base plate was then placed under the plunger of loading machine
and the penetration plunger was kept in contact with soil surface. THE RABIND
Transportation Engineering-II Practical Rabindra Subedi 4
3. Then the dial gauges were set into position to fix to zero then, the load was applied
through the plunger at the uniform rate of 1.25 mm/min.
4.Correspoinding

reading

in

dial

gauge

reading

were

recorded

at

0,

0.5,1.0,2.0,2.5,3.0,4.0,5.0,1.5,10.0and 12.5 mm reading of penetration reading dial

gauge.
5. Then the load was released and mould was removed from the loading machine.

OBSERVATION AND CALCULATIONS:

Following was observed:
Sample Type: Disturbed
Compaction of Specimen: Dynamic with IS heavy compaction
Weight of Rammer: 4.89 kg
No.of blows: 56 nos.
Layers of compaction: 5 layers
Surcharge wt. placed: 2.9 kg
Condition of specimen: soaked
Soaking period: 4 days
Compacting Moisture Content: Optimum Moisture content dry density at OMC
Proving Ring Conversion Factor: no. of smallest div. of dial gauge 1.282 kgf
Diameter of plunger: 5 mm
Area of plunger: 502/4 = 1963.5 mm2

RESULT
From the moisture content determination graph the optimum moisture content of the soil
sample was found to be 11.32 %. And from the load penetration graph, the value of load
from graph corresponding to penetration of 2.5mm and 5.0 mm are calculated and
obtained as 117.944kgf and 166.66kgf respectively. The CBR value of the soil is found to
be 8.6%, i.e. higher of these two values.

CONCLUSION
Normally the CBR value at 2.5 mm penetration which is higher than at 5.0 mm
penetration which is
reported as the CBR value of the material. However, here we obtained that the CBR
value at 2.5 mm penetration is higher than that obtained at 5.0mm penetration. The
general procedure is if this criterion does not fulfill by the test the test should be again
repeated and if the value of CBR at 5.0 mm again comes more than 2.5 mm penetration
then the higher value of the three test specimen is reported as the CBR value. There
may be certain errors for the initial concavity of the load-penetration curve are:
a. The bottom surface of the plunger or the top surface of the soil specimen not being
truly horizontal, with the result the plunger surface not being in full contact with the top of
the specimen initially and,
b. The top layer of the specimen being too soft or irregular.
c. There may be error in loading at a rate of 1.25mm/minute.A correction is applied for
curves curving concavity upwards. A tangent is drawn from the steepest portion of curve
to intersect the x-axis as which is the origin for this specimen. The penetration values are
measured from this corrected origin.
Minimum two sample should be made and test for CBR, but we test only one sample
which is not the basic rule we followed. So we have to test at least for two sample
specimen and the result should be taken as mean of two which is repoted as CBR value
of this sample after correcting if error in curve occurs.
According to Indian standard soil code the CBR value between 8 to 20 falls in the range
of well graded sand,our result within this range.For the optimum moisture content at
least three samples should be tested but we test only one sample which is not correct
omc value of this subgrade soil.Hence I conclude that the soil sample is well graded
sand and the CBR test should be again done for the correct result and conformation of
single sample observation data.This CBR value is more useful for the flexible pavement
design of roads.