B. R.

C 0 C H RAN E
B.E. (Civ.), Stud I. E. A ust., Engineer, Country Roads Board, Victoria

J. R. STY L E S
B.E. (Civ. ), Dip. C.E., Stud I.E. Aust., Engineer, Country Roads Board , Victoria

PA VEMENT EVALUATION USING THE PLATE BEA RING

TEST'"
(Pa per No . 447)

Several methods of using the plate bearing apparatus have been

investigated, the results of which yield information useful in pave-
ment design, construction and performance studies.
Using elastic pavement analysis techniques, the moduli of
elasticity of some common pavement materials have been evaluated.
Results indicate that plate tests may be useful density control tests
while simultaneously giving values of the moduli of elasticity.
Some repetitive tests were carried out and typical results are pre-
sented.
A non-destructive test to obtain information on sub grade
conditions was carried out using three different size plates in
tests on the surface course.
Graphs are presented showing relationships between modulus
of elasticity, moisture content and density.
IN TROD UCTI O N in this project until its inadequacies were
J. While working in the Materials Re- full y realized. Alternative methods of an-
search Division of the Country Roads Board alysis have been used in later tests.
over a 12-month period, the authors investi- 3. Results show that the application of
gated several of the various tests possible, test results can yield information on pave-
using the plate bearing apparatus . This in- ment design, construction and performance
troductory period will give a guide to the in perhaps a more realistic way than pre-
direction of future research as, by itself, this sently used tests. Several graphs are pre-
research is incomplete. sented showing relations between the modu-
lus of elasticity, moisture content and den-
2. The elastic pavement solution of the
sity. These graphs reinforce present con-
layered systems problem by Burmister (Ref.
cepts of the desirability of a well drained,
]) has resulted in a simple method for de-
fully compacted base, although they do sug-
termining the moduli of elasticity of a two-
gest that these two factors are not sufficiently
layered system, enabling the moduli of elas-
emphasized.
ticity of some materials to be determined
on the Tullamarine By-pass and the Western 4. As plate bearing tests take about
Highway duplication. Using Burmister's one hour to perform with results being
charts and the transformed modulus ap- known immediately, it is envisaged that
proach as outlined by McLeod (Ref. 2) , plate tests may prove equally as useful as
this analysis has been extended to multi- density-moisture content tests in evaluation
layered pavements and was used extensively and control procedures.
-ACKNOWLEDGEMENT - This paper is published with the permission of the Ch airman, Country Roads
Board, Victoria .

1174 A.R.R.B. PROCEEDINGS

 CO C HRAN E, STYLES - P AVE M ENT E V ALUATION USING THE PLATE BEA R ING TEST
APPARATUS AND PROCEDURE
LOADING APPARATUS
5. An arti cul ated vehicle of approxi-
mately 16 tons weight, which has been pri-
marily used fo r deep sounding penetrometer
work, was avail able. T he trailer has a
manu ally operated rack loading device
mounted centrally and has three jacks to
take the load of the wheels. T he load is
transmitted to pl ates of 6, 12 and 18 in.
diameter through an hydraulic load cell of
15 kip capacity and a 3 in. outer diameter
pipe with spheri ca l surfaces at both ends.
DEFL ECTION MEA SU REMENT
6. Deflection bowls caused by concen-
trated loads are theoretically of infi nite size
and have been measured to cause several
thousa ndths of an in. deflection at over 10
ft rad ially fro m du al wheels.
7. To establish a reference beam the
theory of 'neutral lines' (R ef. 3) was used.
Although thi s method is exact only fo r a
fl exible plate acting on a li near elastic homo-
geneous semi-infi nite material, it was veri-
fi ed as being approximately correct on a
la yered system using a 12 ft cantil evered I
bea m and dial gauges of 0.0001 in. accur-
acy. A 14 ft long tubul ar beam is used to
span between the two neutral lines obtained
from this analysis, on which four di al gauges
of 0.000 1 in . accuracy are mounted.
PR OC EDUR e
8. Having positioned the loading device
over the test site, the majority of the weight
of the trailer is taken on the three jacks. A
th in bed of fi ne sand is spread to level the
pavemen t surface and then the plate, col-
um n, beam, and dial gauges are positioned.
9. When testing the lower layers of a
co mpleted pavement, the hole is kept as
small as possible and th e dial gauges are
actuated by fo ur rods with adju stable
clamps .
10. The three basic types of tests carried
out have been outlined in the following :
Volume 4, P a rt 2 (1 968)
(a) plate tests on each layer of the p ave-
ment to determine the modulus of each
layer,
( b ) tests using three different size plates on
the surface to predict the pavement and
subgrade strengths, and
(c) tests related to the compacti on and
moisture content of the materi al.
Each type of test requires a different analy-
sis techniqu e, these being outlined in turn .
MODULI DETERMINATIONS
DEFLE CTION S
11 . T he resilient deflection (R ef. 4) or
elastic deflection proved to be almost con-
stant fro m one cycle of loading to the next.
E ight sites were retested after intervals of
between 10 min and 1 month. The average
res ilient deflectio n decrease was 0.0004 in.
correspondin g to a 2 per cent change in
'the modul us of resilient deformation' .
12. A test was devised to estim ate th e
effect of the bed of sand und er the p late.
T his test proved that the elastic defl ection
was not altered by more th an one thous-
andth of an inch by the inclu sion of a thin
bed of sand .
13. T he linear behaviour assumed in the
elastic approach to pavements was verified
by three repetiti ve tests where ten loading
cycl es were applied, each cycle being taken
to a higher pressure . I n two tests the re-
sul ts proved linear to a tolerance of 0 .0003
in. in a total deflection of 0.02 1 in. , the
other to a tolerance of 0.001 5 in . in 0.069
in .
14. A deflection of approxim ately 0.025
in . was aimed at in most tests, the load
being held until the rate of change of de-
fl ection was less th an 0. 001 in./min . T his
deflecti on could easily be measured, yet it
is not large enough to di sturb the pavement
co nditi ons, and it is nea r the average Ben-
kelm an Beam reading fo r many hi ghways.
Th e load is norm ally held fo r 3 to 5 min
to sati sfy the rate of defl ection criterion.
11 75
 COCHRANE, STYLES - PAVEMENT EVALUATION USING THE PLATE BEARING TEST

TABLE I MODULI OF MATERIALS (P.S.I.)

Material Deer Park Tullamarin e

Clay subgrade 11 ,000 10,000

lime-stabilized clay 25,000 20,000

Coarse crushed rock 45,000

Wet mixed crushed rock 35,000

Crushed river grave l 35,000

Cement-treated crushed rock 125,000

PRESSURE APPLIED could be affected by the restraint of the

15 . The average pressures used on the
12 in. diameter plate when testing on the
surface course, base course, subbase and
subgrade were 80, 50, 30 and 20 p.s.i. re-
spectively.
CALCULATIONS
L6. The analysis of res ults was initially
carried out using the transformed modulus
approach as outlined by McLeod (Ref. 2),
but as this approach is not strictly accurate
an altern ative approach was also used. This
approach utilizes the substitution for equiva-
len t thicknesses (Ref. 5).
he = I<~~y
together with the displacement equation
1.5 pa 2
d =
E2(a 2 + Z2)t
Although originally proposed by Palmer and
Barber (Ref. 6) for two-layered systems,
this approach may be extended to multi-
layered systems.
17 . More recently the method proposed
by A. Jones (Ref. 7) has been used , how-
ever some research is necessary into the
somewhat different results obtained from
the various methods.
RESTRAINT BY UPPER LAYERS
18. The deflections obtained when test-
ing lower layers of a completed pavement
higher (surcharge) layers . This effect is
minimized by keeping deflections very low.
In a series of five tests on a subgrade which
was tested before and after the pavement
was constructed, the time interval being
about 8 weeks, the sub grade moduli re-
mained fairly constant, two sites increasing
by 14 and 18 per cent and three decreasing
by 5 , 4 and 18 per cent, the average in-
crease in modulus being 1 per cent. Un-
doubtedly more tests of this nature are
essential to confirm these initial findings.
MODULI
19. The values of the moduli given in
TABLE I are average valu es from a small
number of tests. The lime-stabilized mater-
ial at Deer Park was tested immediately
after stabilization and compaction; however ,
more recent tests suggest this modulus may
have increased greatly.
20. An interesting result was obtained
when a layer of wet clay was found on the
lime stabilized material at one site. The
value of the transformed modulus at various
depths is given in TABLE II. It is sufficient
to say that 7 in. of coarse crushed rock have
been effectively wasted as the transformed
modulus on the crushed rock is still slightly
lower than that on the lime-stabilized clay.
PREDICTI ON OF MODULI FROM
SURFACE TESTS
21. Two layer moduli, E1 and E 2 , can
be determined from surface tests with two

1176 A .R.R.B. PROCEEDING'>

 COCHRANE, STYLES - PAVEMENT EVALUATION USING THE PLATE BEARING TEST

TABLE II
TRA NSFO RM ED MODULI (P.S.I.)

Test at (in .) Test on Mod uli

0 Wet mi xed crus hed rock 23,000

8.0 Coarse crushed rock 15,000

14.8 Clay layer 11 ,000

16 .0 Lime stabi lized clay 16,000

21.2 Subgrade clay 10,000

or more plates. The 6, 12 and 18 in. dia-
meter plates have been used for five sur-
face tests to predict the moduli of the
'idealized' two layer system. The actual
pavement comprised of four layers and sim-
plification was necessary. The upper layer
E] could be considered as one of the follow-
ing
(a ) surface coarse, h = 8 in. ,
(b ) surface plus basecourse, h = 15 in. ,
or
(c) all material above subgrade, h = 21 in.
After the surface tests each layer of the
pavement was tested with the 12 in. plate
and th e respective layer moduli calculated.
CONC LUS IONS FROM TESTS
22 . Results showed it most accurate to
consid er h = 8 in . and to use the 6 in. to
12 in. plate pair. The one inaccurate site
of the five had errors of about 40 per cent
the other four being very accurate, average
errors being 4 per cent in El and 5 per cent
in E 2 . When h = 15 in. was considered for
the same plate pair the errors increased to
15 per cent in El and 21 per cent in E 2 .
This type of test could be valuable to esti-
mate subgrade and pavement strengths
without resorting to destructive sampling.
COMPACTI O N
23 . Voss (Ref. 8) has used the ratio
d 1/ d 2 to control compaction. The authors
Volume 4, Part 2 (1968)
feel that the ratio dt/e may be a better in-
dication of compaction and have used this
ratio in their research. (d n is the deflection
when loading on the nth cycle; e is the
resilient deflection.)
24. Tests were carried out on a clay sub-
grade and on a I1h in. crushed basecourse,
density being determined by 4 in. diameter
cores and IPCAD tests (in place coarse
aggregate density A.A.S.H .O. T181-60)
respectively. The results from the subgrade
tests are plotted on Fig. 1. Those from
the crushed rock tests are just as consist-
ent.
25. All material under the plate affects
the deflection ratio not just the top 6 in.,
so these correlations are better than ex-
pected. Some scatter of points will be due
to errors in determining densities by the
above mentioned methods.
26. Some testing on 11/2 in. crushed
river gravel was carried out before the
IPCAD device was available. Plate tests
were carried out at three stages during roll-
ing and the following deflection ratios ob-
tained:
( a) after 3 roller passes - av. 2.13,
(b) approximately 10 roller passes avo
1.75, and
(c) approxi mately 20 roller passes - avo
1.39.
1177
 COCHRANE. STYLES - PAVEMENT EVALUATION USING THE PLATE BEARING TEST

110

106 '\
106 '\
~
I-
~U BGP.ADE 0
DENS I TY 104

"~
(Ib/ f't' )

10 2

~
100
0
"\
~
0
98 --
1' 00 1' 10 1' 20 I' 30

DEFLE C.TIO N R A,I O - D./ E

Fig. 1 - Relationship between density and deflection ratio

'10 , 000
V

16 ,000
;/
'"

I G,OOO
0
(.) /
V
V
V
MODUL US OF 0
RES ILI ENT
DEF O RMATION
ON LIME 14,000
STABILIZ E 0
MATE R IAL
( P.S . I.)
/
;/
(.)
(
/
10 ,000
T
/
0
8,000
64 66 66 90 92 94 10 0

DENSITY O F LIME STABIL IZ ED MATERIAL ( LB FT»

Fig _ 2 - Relationship between modulus of resilient deformation and density on lime-stabilized material

1178 AR.R_B. PROCEEDINGS

 COCHRANE , STYLES - PAVEMENT E VALUATION USING THE PLATE BEARING TEST

20, 000
--;;;-

"'-
J7,500
0
8
~.,
L>

15,000 - ~~- -
MODULUS Of
RESILIENT
DEFORMATION
(p S I)
12 ,500
0 -,
0' \
0
'J

",0
I-- '" ~
~

~
o ~lC1bllll.ed
'" ~
lime.

10,000 - - -
L>
"'-L>
0 L>
0
"
""
0

7,500
1'\
~~
'!» vb9r"ode
o Sub9rade
8. Lime stcbl11:zed mater.al

5,000 ----~
16 I~ 10 22 2+ 16 16 30

MOISTuRE CONTENT (1.)

Fi g _ 3 - Relationship between mo isture co ntent and modulu s of resilient deformation

These val ues indicate densities of approxi- that lime stabilization results in the greatest
mately 89, 94 and 102 per cent of specified modulus increase at high moisture contents,
density. e.g. at 18 per cent moisture content the
increase is 37 per cent while at 23 per cent
27 . The importance of maximum com-
moisture content the increase is a useful
paction is shown in Fig. 2 on which the
110 per cent. H ence, where poorly drained
transformed modulus on the lime-stabilized
oils are encountered, lime stabilization will
material is plotted against density.
save inches of crushed rock. This could
28. These results show that plate bear- ultimately be the main use of lime stabiliza-
ing tests could have application to control tion , the treatment of high moisture content
procedures as the test is finished within one areas.
hour. Borderline cases can be tested by any
co nventiona l density tests. MODULUS AND OTHER PHYSICAL
PROPERTIES
MOISTURE CONTENT
31. Two sites on the sub grade at Deer
29. Moisture content determinations Park 200 ft apart were used in an attempt
were carried out on the subgrade and lime- to find which particular physical properties
stabilized subbase at Deer Park. The re- contributed to a high modulus value. The
sults are plotted against the modulus of the results are tabulated in TABLE III.
material in Fig. 3. This correlation of
32. Higher density, lower moisture con-
modulus and moisture content should justify
tent and higher liquid limit are the proper-
great care in subgrade and subbase drain-
ties which apparently contribute to the
age.
higher modulus at site 1. The second and
30. Tests at Tullamarine showed that third of these properties are combined in
the moisture content of the clay subgrade the consistency index. Voss used this index
and lime stabilized subb ase were approxi- when presenting his results for cohesive soils
mately equal. From Fig. 3 it can be seen 111 compacted sub grades, his line of best fit

Volume 4, Part 2 (1968) 1179

 COCHRANE. STYLES - PAVEMENT EVALUATlO USING TH E PLATE BEARI G TEST

TABLE III
PHYS ICA L PROPERTIES AN D MODULUS

Ph ysica l Prope rty Site 1 Site 2

Modulu s (p. s. i.) 12,400 5600

Modul us (10 weeks later) (p.s.i.) 11 ,700 4600
liqu id limit (ll ) (%) 62 59
Pla s tic li mit (% ) 17 14
Pl as: ic ity Ind e x (PI ) (% ) 45 45

Lin ear shrinkage (% ) 16V2 16

Density p .e.f. 104V2

Density (%) 107

Moi sture co ntent (% ) 21.S 22.S

btimated CSR 4.4 3.S

Consiste ncy index (CI ) 0.S9 O.SO

LL - mc
CI= - --
showing an increase in modulus from 50
kg / cm ~ to 300 kg/ cm 2 for a change in con-
sistency index from 0 .85 to 1.00. There
are very few points on his graph below a
co nsistency index of 0.85. It is apparent
that thi s ind ex coul d be most important in
assessin g the load carrying capacity 01 ." l
subgrade .
CONCLUSIONS
33 . The ultimate aim of a seri es of in·
vestigation s of this nature is to develop a
more rational pavement design procedure by
eliminati ng such tests as the CBR test, and
by developing a proced ure suitable for appli-
cation to coarse materi als. (For these coarse
materials perhaps large pl ates will be req-
uired) .
34 . T he first step in this directio n is to
use moduli values to calcul ate equivalent
PI
thickness of vario us materials using the cube
root concept of Marguerre. A guide to
these values has been obtained by this in-
vestigation , but to obtain accurate results
it is essential that some simple two layer
systems be tested either at a job site or in
a large testing tank .
35. It is felt that a correlation between
mod uli a nd laboratory tests is essential to
eva luate new materials without relying upon
a test tank eVlll uation .
36. Perhaps the most important concept
requiring further investigation is that of the
deflection r atio. This investigation has
shown that this rajo could be developed
into a 1110st usefu l tool in pavement con-
struction control and evaluati on.

REFERENCES
1. Burmister, D . M ., T he theory of stresses and displacements in layered systems
and applications to the design of airport runways, Proc. H .R.B., 23 (1943).
2. McLeod, N. S. , Some notes on pavement structural design, H.R. R ecord 13
(1963 ).

1180 A.R.R .B. PRO CE EDI as

 COCHRANE . STYLES - PAVEMENT EVALUAT ION US I NG THE PLATE BEAR ING TEST
(DISCUSSIONS BY BARTLETT AND FRANCIS/ AUTHORS' CLOSURE)

3. Dosso, N. and Peignaud, M ., Plate tests carried out by the regional laboratory
of Angers with a trailer of 15 tonnes weight, Bull. de Liaison des Laboratoires
Routiers, Special No. B (1965); Essais de Plaques et Mechanique des
Chausses.
4. Hveem, F. N. , Pavement deflections and fatigue failures , Design and Testing
of Flexible Pavements, H .R.B. Bull. 114 (1955).
5. Marguerre, K., Ingenieur-Archiv, 4 (1933).
6. Palmer, L. A. and Barber, E. S. , Soil displacement under circular loaded area,
H.R.B. Proc., 20 (1940) .
7. Jones, A. , The calculation of surface deflection for three layer elastic systems,
Proc. Symp. on Road Tests for P avement Design, Lisbon (1962) .
8. Voss, I. R ., The interaction 01 subsoil, frost protecting and pavement layers,
Strassen and Tiefbau (June 1962).

DISCUSSIONS

A. H. BAR T LET T , B.Sc., Principa l Scientifi c Officer, Country Roads Board, Victoria
37. With reference to para. 36, would the authors give inform ation on how they
envisage the plate bearing test can b ~ developed as a rapid tool fo r evalu ating pave-
ment layers during construction? Can the test be speeded up?
A. J . F RAN C IS, M.Sc., Ph .D. , F .I.E.Aust., M.C.E., F.I.C.E., M.I.Struct.E. , Professor of
C ivil E ngineering, Universi ty of Melbourne
38. Could the authors give the coefficients of correlation for the two linear
relationships shown on Fig. 3? There appears, in fact , to be little correlation
between moisture content and modulus of resilient deformation, from visual inspec-
tion of this diagram. Perhaps this point ought to be settled before the di scussion
on this paper goes any further.

AUTHORS ' CLOSURE

To P . J . MOO R E (see Introductory Remarks to this session)

39. The discussion leader has questioned the practical advantages of the plate
bearing test over the Benkleman beam test. The plate test is more versatile than
the beam test as it may be used on any material at any stage in the pavement
construction , thus giving a guid e to the ri gidity of the pavement as construction
proceeds, allowing modification to the original design if necessary.
40. Poisson's ratio (v) has very little effect on the modulus of resilient de-
formation, as modulus is proportional to (1 - v 2 ). In the compilation of charts
and tables for the solution of modulus in terms of surface deflections, two com-
monly adopted values for v are 0.5 and 0.3 5. The difference in moduli deter-
mined on the basis of these two Poisson's ratios is only of the order of 12 per
cent. Even so, the authors consider that at this tim e, relative values of the moduli
are more important th an the absolute values. At this stage the moduli could not
be used to estimate stresses and strai ns in the pavement.

Volume 4, P a rt 2 ( 1968) 1181

 COCHRANE, STYLES - PAVEMENT EVALUATION USING THE PLATE BEARING TEST
(AUTHORS' CLOSURE)
To A. H. BAR T LET T, Country Roads Board , Victoria
41. The writer has given the authors the opportunity to note that the present
procedure is not fast enough to allow the plate test to serve as a good comeol test.
A loading vehicle incorporating an electrically driven rear mounted loading device
has been planned. This vehicle should allow tests to be carried out in approxi-
mately 20 min.
42. The authors believe that, eventually, specifications for roadworks could
include limits on the modulus of resilient deformation for each layer of the pave-
ment, plus a limit on the deflection ratio, the latter giving an indication of the
density of the layer.
43. At present there is no easy quantitative test for control of compaction of
coarse materials above say llh in. maximum size aggregate. There are no limita-
tions on the plate test as larger plates can be fabricated for use on coarser
materials.
44. Another important use of the test would be to compare the economic
value of different materials according to the cube root concept as mentioned in
the paper.
To A . 1. F RAN CIS, University of Melbourne
45. Concerning Fig. 3, the authors wish to make it clear that a linear relation-
ship is not indicated by the test results. This figure has been included simply to
show that the moisture content bas a marked effect on the modulus of resilient
deformation, that is the modulus decreases significantly with increase in moisture
content.

II 1<2 A.R.R.B . PROCEEDINGS