TRIBHUVAN UNIVERSITY

KHWOPA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Libali-2, Bhaktapur

LAB REPORT
ON
TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING II
Lab Report No: 03
TITLE: DETERMINATION OF CBR VALUE

SUBMITTED BY: SUBMITTED TO:

Name: Nabin Dangi Department Of Civil Engineering

CRN: 070BCE67 Khwopa College of Engineering
Group: C

Date of Submission: 2073/09/28

 DETERMINATION OF CBR VALUE

OBJECTIVES:
 To determine the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) of the sub-grade soil.
 To determine the moisture content of sub-grade soil.

APPRATUS REQUIRED:
1. Mould 5. Dial gauge
2. Steel cutting collar 6. IS sieve of size 47.5mm and 20mm
3. Space disc 7. Penetration plunger
4. Surcharge weight 8. Loading machine capacity up to 5000kg

THEORY
California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test was originally developed by California Division of
highways (USA) is one of the most commonly used method to evaluate the strength of sub-grade
soil for design of pavement thickness. CBR value as defined by IS: 2720 (PART XVI)-1979 is the
ratio of the force per unit area required to penetrate a soil mass with a circular plunger of 50mm
diameter at the rate of 1.25mm/minute, to that required for corresponding penetration of a standard
material. Standard load is that load which has been obtained from tests on a crushed stone whose
CBR value is taken to be 100 percent. The ratio is usually determined for penetration of 2.5mm and
5.0mm. The result of this test cannot be related accurately with fundamental properties of the
material but are useful in design of flexible pavement.

Corresponding load for reading at proving ring

Table 1

Load Applied in KN Average deflection in Division, mm

0.3 93.5
0.6 187.5
0.9 280.3
1.2 374.6
1.5 467.8
1.8 561.1
2.1 651.6
2.4 748.1
2.7 842.6
3.0 935.4
Standard load for Different Penetration Values
Table2
Penetration mm Unit standard load, kgf/cm2 Total standard kgf
2.5 70 1370
5.0 105 2055
7.5 134 2630
10.0 162 3180
12.5 183 3600
Compute CBR value as follows;
𝑇𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑛 𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛(𝑃𝑇)
CBR value = *100
𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛(𝑃𝑆)
Usually the CBR is calculated for 2.5mm and 5.0mm penetration .Generally the CBR value at
2.5mm penetration will be greater than that of 5.0mm and in such a case the former is taken for
design purpose .If the 5mm value is greater the test is repeated, if the same result follows, the CBR
value corresponding to 5mm penetration is adopted for design purpose.

Figure 1 showing the apparatus required for CBR test.

PROCEDURE:
A. Making of dynamically compacted specimen:

 The material was sieved through 20mm IS sieve.

 5 kg of the sample was taken.
 Water was added to the soil in the quantity such that the moisture content of the specimen was
either equal to field moisture content or OMC as desired.
 The soil and water was mixed uniformly.
 The mould was clamped along with the extension collar to the base plate.
 The coarse filter paper was placed on the top of the spacer disc.
 The soil sample was placed in the mould in three layers giving 56 blows with the rammer
weighing 2.5 kg for light compaction.
 The extension collar was removed and the excess soil was trimmed by a straight edge.
 The base plate, spacer disc and the filter paper was removed and the weight of mould and
compacted specimen was noted.

B .Testing of specimen:

 The mould containing the specimen, with base place plate in position was placed on the
testing machine.
 The annular weight of 2.5kg was placed on the top surface of soil.
 The penetration plunger was brought in contact with the soil surface and the load was
applied.
 The surcharge load was placed on the top of the specimen.
 The reading of dial gauge was made zero.
 The load at penetration of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3, 4.0, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 and 12.5mm was
recorded.
 Plot the load penetration curve with load as ordinate and penetration as abscissa.
Sometimes the initial portion of the curve is concave upward due to surface irregularities
.In such a case apply a correction .Draw tangent at the point of greatest slope. The point
where this tangent meets the abscissa is the correct zero reading of penetration.
 From the curve, determine the load value corresponding to the penetration value at which
the CBR is desired.
OBSERVATION AND CALCULATION:

From above,
935.4 mm dial reading=3KN
1mm dial reading=0.32707 kg

Penetration Dial Load dial Load(KG)

of plunger Gauge Reading,
mm Reading Division,
mm
0 0 0 0
0.5 14.4 72 23.54904
1 27.2 136 44.48152
1.5 37.2 186 60.83502
2 46.4 232 75.88024
2.5 55.2 276 90.27132
3 63.6 318 104.0083
4 78.2 391 127.8844
5 91.8 459 150.1251
7.5 126.6 633 207.0353
10 158.4 792 259.0394
12.5 185.6 928 303.521

Sample Example

For 0.5,
Division=14*5+4/2
Dial Reading=72
Load=72*0.327=23.549kg
 CBR CURVE
320
310
300
290
280
270
260
250
240
230
220
210
200
190
180
170
Load(kg)

160
150
140
130
120
110
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 1010.51111.51212.51313.5
Penetration of Plunger(mm)

From graph,

Load at 2.5mm penetration=90kg

Load at 5mm penetration=150kg
 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑡 2.5𝑚𝑚 𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
CBR value at 2.5mm penetration= ∗ 100
𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑡 2.5𝑚𝑚
90.27
= 1370 ∗ 100
= 6.57%

𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑡 5.0𝑚𝑚 𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

CBR value at 5mm penetration= ∗ 100
𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑡 5.0𝑚𝑚
150.12
= ∗ 100
2055
= 7.23%
Since, CBR (2.5mm) < CBR (5mm)
Therefore, the CBR value of sub-grade soil is 7.23%

For moisture content;

Weight of wet soil (W1) =36gm
Weight of soil after oven drying (W2) =34gm
𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟
Moisture content = 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑟𝑦 𝑠𝑜𝑖𝑙 ∗ 100

𝑊1−𝑊2
= ∗ 100
𝑊2

36−34
= ∗ 100 =5.88%
34

RESULT:

The CBR value of the sub grade soil is found to be 6.57% and 7.23% at 2.5mm and 5mm of the
penetration value of first set of observation. As the CBR value at 5 mm penetration is greater than
CBR value at 2.5 mm penetration. Hence the CBR value to be adopted is 7.23%.
The moisture content is was found to be 5.88%

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION:

From above experiment we obtained that the CBR value in 2.5mm penetration is smaller than at
5mm which is not applicable. So we have to repeat the experiment. But due to lack of time, we are
unable to do so.

California bearing Ratio is an empirical value and useful in design of flexible pavement.
Depending upon the expected traffic volume, the thickness of the base course and sub base course
can be determined by CBR value, the suitability of soil tested for use of sub grade material in the
road construction works. The practical done with the sample made in the practical lab is not same
as the soil of sub-grade in actual field. For the design of new road Pavements, the sub grade soil
sample should be compacted to OMC to proctor density whenever suitable compaction equipment
is available to achieve this density in the field otherwise the soil may be compacted to the dry
density expected to be achieved in the field. Since it is performed in the lab, so the value obtained
in the lab may not be the actual CBR value of the sub-grade soil. This is only in order to be familiar
with the practical method .The CBR value obtained is very low for the road and hence we have to
increase the strength of sub-grade soil by various methods. The obtained data may not be true due
to several errors we didn’t consider during practical either that may be personnel or instrumental
but we perform it well to get better result and the objective of practical was fulfilled.

On the basis of above experiment, we can conclude that the CBR value of sub-grade and moisture
content of sub-grade soil can be determined.

PRECAUTION:

 The mould should be compacted in three layers and each by 56 number of blows.
 The holes of the base plate of the mould should not be blocked.
 The surcharge weight should be aligned with the plunger so that the plunger penetrates freely
into the soil.