SCHOOL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

LABORATORY 7

COURSE HIGHWAY ENGINEERING

COURSE CODE ECG344

LEVEL OF OPENNESS 1

CATEGORY PARTIALLY OPEN ENDED

DEGREE OF OPEN-ENDED (%) 33

PERIOD OF ACTIVITY 1 WEEK

TITLE CALIFORNIA BEARING RATIO (CBR)

INTRODUCTION

Level 1 laboratory activity refers to condition where the problem and ways &
means are guided and given to the students. However the answers to the
assignment are left to the students to solve using the group creativity and
innovativeness. The activity is hoping to slowly introduce and inculcates
independent learning amongst students and prepare them for a much harder
task of open-ended laboratory activities.

In this laboratory session, students will be exposed to the apparatus and

appropriate methods to carry out test to determine CBR of soil.

OBJECTIVE
The objective of the test is:
• To determine CBR of subgrade soil for design of flexible pavement.

PREAMBLE
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the laboratory activity, students would be able to:

1. Identify ad use the correct apparatus/tools to carry out CBR test.

2. Analyse data correctly and present it in a typical format.
3. Work in a group to produce technical report.

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

The California Bearing Ratio or CBR test as it is usually called, is an empirical

test which was first developed in California, USA for estimating the bearing
value or evaluates the strength of highway sub bases and subgrades for
designing the flexible pavement.

The CBR test is performed by measuring the pressure required to penetrate

a soil sample with a standard circular plunger. The measured force is then

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SCHOOL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
LABORATORY 7

divided by the standard force to achieve an equal penetration on a standard

crushed rock material. The harder the surface, the higher the CBR value.

𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓
𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 = × 100%
𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆 𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓

The ratio is usually determined for penetration of 2.5 mm and 5.0 mm. The
standard forces corresponding to penetrations of 2.5 and 5 mm are 13.24 kN
and 19.96 kN.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Students are required to prepare sample and conduct the CBR test in order
PROBLEM
to determine the bearing value of subgrade soil. The group must carry out
STATEMENT
the test following the procedures outline and subsequently analyse the data
and present it in a proper technical format.

APPARATUS

• Moulds with base plate,

• Collar
• Spacer disc
• compaction rammer
• Loading machine
• Penetration plunger
• Dial gauge
• IS sieve
• Mixing bowl
• Scales
• oven

Procedures
WAYS AND
MEANS 1. There are two types of methods in compacting soil specimen in the
CBR moulds (Static Compaction Method or Dynamic Compaction
Method)
2. The material used in the above two methods shall pass 19 mm sieve
for fine grained soils and 37.5 mm sieve for coarse materials up to
37.5 mm.
3. Replace the material retained on 19 mm sieve by an equal amount of
material passing 19mm sieve and retained on 4.75mm sieve.
4. Replace the material retained on 3.75 mm sieve by an equal amount
of material passing 37.5 mm sieve and retained on 4.75mm sieve.

a. Preparing Test Specimen

Dynamic Compaction
1. Take representative sample of soil weighing approximately 6 kg and
mix thoroughly at OMC.
2. Record the empty weight of the mould with base plate, with extension
collar removed (m1).

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SCHOOL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
LABORATORY 7

3. Replace the extension collar of the mould.

4. Insert a spacer disc over the base plate and place a coarse filter paper
on top of the spacer disc.
5. Place the mould on a solid base such as a concrete floor or plinth and
compact the wet soil in to the mould in five layers of approximately
equal mass each layer being given 56 blows with 4.90 kg hammer
equally distributed and dropped from a height of 45 cm above the soil.
6. The amount of soil used shall be sufficient to fill the mould, leaving
not more than about 6mm to be struck off when the extension collar
is removed.
7. Remove the extension collar and carefully level the compacted soil to
the top of the mould by means of a straight edge.
8. Remove the spacer disc by inverting the mould and weigh the mould
with compacted soil (m2).
9. Place a filter paper between the base plate and the inverted mould.
10. Replace the extension collar of the mould.
11. Prepare two more specimens in the same procedure as described
above.

b. Penetration Test

1. Place the mould on the lower plate of the testing machine with top
face exposed.
2. To prevent upheaval of soil in to the hole of surcharge weights, place
2.5 kg annular weights on the soil surface prior to seating the
penetration plunger after which place the reminder of the surcharge
weights.
3. Set the plunger under a load of 4 kg so that full contact is established
between the surface of the specimen and the plunger.
4. Set the stress and strain gauges to zero.
5. Consider the initial load applied to the plunger as the zero load.
6. Apply the load at the rate of 1.25 mm/min.
7. Take the readings of the load at penetration of 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0,2.5,
3.0, 4, 5, 7.5, 10 and 12.5.
8. Raise the plunger and detach the mould from the loading equipment.
9. All data obtain to be recorded onto the data sheet in Form 1 as
attached.

3.3 Data Acquisition

Calculation of CBR from Load Penetration Curve

1. Plot the load penetration curve in natural scale, load on Y-axis
and penetration on x- axis as shown in Fig 2.

2. If the curve is uniformly convex upwards although the initial

portion of the curve may be concave upwards due to surface
irregularities make correction by drawing a tangent to the upper
curve at the point of contra flexure as below 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10
and 12.5.

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SCHOOL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
LABORATORY 7

3. Take the intersection point of the tangent and the X-axis as the
origin. Calculate the CBR values for penetration of 2.5 mm and 5
mm.
4. Corresponding to the penetration value at which CBR is to be
desired, take the corrected load values from the load penetration
curve and calculate the CBR from the equation,
𝑃𝑃𝑇𝑇 𝑥𝑥𝐶𝐶𝑓𝑓
California Bearing Ratio = 𝑥𝑥 100
𝑃𝑃𝑠𝑠
PT = Corrected unit test load corresponding to the chosen
penetration from load penetration curve
Ps = Total standard load for the same depth of penetration, which
can be taken from the Table below.
Cf =Proving ring correction factor
5. Report the CBR value to the nearest second decimal.
6. Take the average of three test specimens of CBR value
7. Generally, the BCR value at 2.50 mm penetration will be greater
than 5.00mm penetration and in such case take value at 2.50 mm
as CBR value.
8. If the CBR value of 5.00 mm penetration greater than 2.50mm
penetration, repeat the test. If identical result follow, take the
value corresponding to 5.00 mm as the CBR value.

©UiTM OCT 2021

SCHOOL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
LABORATORY 7

Analysis of Result
Students have to acquire ways to present collected data and to determine
important parameters from the study.
All references have to be listed using standard format or given by the lecturer.

Discussion and Conclusion

RESULTS
(OPEN) Students have to write discussion and conclusion based on the objectives of
the study.
The group is required to submit the technical report of the laboratory results
highlighting the apparatus used, the procedures undertaken for the test, data
acquisition process, analysis carried out and the relevancy of the set-out output
to address the given problem. The format of the technical report is left to the
creativity discretion of the group.

The report must be submitted 7 days after the completion of the test.

©UiTM OCT 2021

 SCHOOL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
LABORATORY 7

FORM 1

CAL I FORN I A BE ARI N G RATI O ( CBR) TE ST

Job no. Site BH/Pit no.
Project Sample no.
Client Depth (m)
No. of layers Rammer kg Diameter mm Volume cm³
Blows per layer Drop mm Height mm Load kg
Test on TOP / BASE surface As compacted soaked days Surcharge rings No.
Load kg
PENETRATI ON TES T
Penetration Load dial Ring factor Load Load ring No
mm divs. N/div kN Capacity kN
0.50
1.00
1.50 Container no. 1 2 3
2.00 Mass of container g g g
2.50 Mass of container + wet soil g g g
3.00 Mass of container + dry soil g g g
3.50 Mass of water g g g
4.00 Mass of dry soil g g g
4.50 W ATER CONTENT (%)
5.00
5.50
6.00 DENS I TY
6.50 Mass of mould kg
7.00 Mass of mould + wet soil kg
7.50 Mass of wet soil kg
8.00 Bulk density Mg/m³
8.50 Moisture content %
9.00 Dry density Mg/m³
9.50
10.00
10.50
11.00
11.50
12.00

Tested by Checked by Date

©UiTM OCT 2021