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"Use of Brick for Road Constructions in Bangladesh" CE 6503: Highway

Materials "Use of Brick (Aggregate) for Road Constructions in Bangladesh"

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 Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology,
Dhaka-1000.
Civil Engineering Department.
Post Graduate Programme, Transportation Engineering.

“Use of Brick for Road Constructions in Bangladesh”

CE 6503: Highway Materials

Dr. Muhammad Zakaria
Professor

Submitted on: August 24’ 2009

Md. Anisur Rahman / Titu

[100704405]

1
“Use of Brick (Aggregate) for Road Constructions in
Bangladesh”

Md. Anisur Rahman / Titu

[100704405]
CE Dept. BUET.
April’2009..

2
INDEX

Abstract
1. Introduction 1
2. Factors affecting the quality of bricks 1
3. Constituents of brick-clay and their functions 2
4. Characteristics of Good Bricks 3
5. Properties of Brick 3
6. Brick making in Bangladesh 4
7. Performance of over burnt distorted bricks as aggregates
in pavement works 5
8. Urban Air Quality, Climate Change, and Development 6
9. Aggregate for Road Construction in Bangladesh 8
10. Intrinsic Properties of Brick Aggregates 9
11. Brick Soling (pavement) 11
12. Brick Pavement 12
13. RHD technical specification on Brick Pavement 13
14. Factor influencing the base and sub-base characteristics 15
15. Type of Bricks used in sub-base and base 15
16. Roads and Highway Department (RHD) of Bangladesh’s
pavement design 18
17. RHD specification for sub-base 19
18. RHD Specification for Aggregate Base 20
19. Aggregate Grading by LGED
(Local Government & Engineering Department) 22
20. Water Bound Macadam (WBM) for road construction
in Bangladesh 23
21. Degradation of Brick Aggregates due to Different
Compactive Efforts 26
22. Conclusion 27
23. References 28

3
Abstract: In recent years the use of bricks for road construction has increased
unexpectedly in many countries of the world. Specially in the developing countries of
south east Asia, crushed bricks are being used in many civil engineering works including
roads. High crushing strength, low absorptive natural such as gravels and boulders are
not available in Bangladesh except in small quantities in Northern Sylhet and Dinajpur
areas. It is expensive to carry these natural aggregates from their sources to job sites if
the haulage length is high. Again with the increased and continue consumption, those
naturally occurring aggregate sources are being depleted. Due to insurmountable
deficiency of conventional natural aggregates in Bangladesh, crushed bricks are used for
the construction of base and sub-base course of flexible pavements. Good quality brick in
unbound condition has been found to be satisfactory, from strength consideration,
provided they are compacted in a dense grading applying appropriate compacting energy.
Crushed brick aggregate from picked jhama bricks are considerably good for road
construction. They are not only recommended to be used in base, sub-base in unbound
condition but also recommended to be used in bases or surface courses bound with
bituminous material. Bricks aggregate are especially used in Bangladesh and in some
part of India in road base and sub-bases where stone aggregates are not easily available.

1. Introduction

Brick is an artificial kind of stone made from clay. Here clay is the type of soil whose
characteristics are plasticity when wet and stone like hard as heated to high temperature.
Burnt clay bricks are one of the main construction material in Bangladesh. Broken bricks
or brick aggregates are also used in concrete or in road layers.

Since a number of factor affect the strength/durability ob bricks and brick aggregates,
testing of bricks is very important before use. As an example the comprehensive strength
of burnt clay brick can vary from some hundred psi to 5000 psi or even higher strength.
Therefore, strength and durability of a brick-wall depends very much on the quality of
bricks. The strength of concrete (using brick aggregate) may also vary widely due to the
quality of brick aggregates. Testing of bricks is therefore important to maintain quality.

2. Factors affecting the quality of bricks

The following are the factors on which the quality of bricks depends:
i. chemical properties of the clay used.
ii. preparation of the clay
iii. process of drying
iv. different degrees of burning.

4
3. Constituents of brick-clay and their functions

A good brick-clay should be such a mixture of pure clay and sand that when prepared
with water, it can easily be moulded and dried without cracking or warping. It should
also contain Alumina (Aluminum Oxide), lime, iron oxide and magnesia (magnesium
oxide). Chemical analysis of a good brick-clay should give the following chemical
composition:

Silica 55%
Alumina 30%
Iron oxide 8%
Magnesia 5%
Lime 1%
Organic matters 1%

100 %

Functions of the constituents

Silica:
Sliica exists in all clays in a state of chemical combination and some times ina free state
when it is called flint or sand. The presence of sand prevents cracking, shrinking, and
warping. The higher the proportion of sand, the more shapely and uniform in texture will
the brick be. Too much sand however makes the brick brittle and weak.

Alumina (Aluminium Oxide):

It imparts plasticity to clay which is very essential for the purpose of moulding. But too
much alumina may cause crack and wrap during drying and brick becomes very hard
under the influence of heat.

Iron oxide:
The presence of iron oxide in clay enhances the impermeable and durable qualities.

Magnesia (Magnesium Oxide):

Presence of magnesia in a small quantity in a small quantity decreases shrinkage.

Lime:
Lime reduces shrinkage of bricks during drying and enables the silica to melt in burning
and thus binds the particles of brick together. In excess, however, it will cause the brick
to fuse too readily and the shape will be lost. Lime should be present in a very fine state.

5
If present in the form of lumps, it is very injurious to bricks, since on burning it becomes
quick lime and absorbs moisture hence causing disintegration.

Organic matter:
A small quantity of organic matter will assist burning bricks. Excess is bad, because if it
is not completely burnt, the bricks will be porous.

4. Characteristics of Good Bricks:

The following are the characteristics of good bricks:

i. Bricks should be uniform in colour, size and shape. The standard dimension
is 240x115x70mm.
ii. They should be sound and compact.
iii. They should be free from cracks and other flaws such as air bubbles, stone
nodules, etc.
iv. They should not absorb more than about 1/5 of their own weight of water
when immersed in water for 24 hours (15 to 20% of dry wt.).
v. The average compressive strength of bricks should be in the range of 2500psi.
(as per „LGED road structure manual- B‟).
vi. The percentage of soluble salts (sulphates of calcium, magnesium, sodium and
potassium) should not exceed 2.5% in burnt bricks. Because the presence of
excess soluble salts causes efflorescence.
vii. The should be neither over-burnt nor under-burnt. (jhama is over burnt).
viii. Thw weight should be generally 2.7kg (6lb) per brick and the unit weight
should be generally 2000kg/m3 (125lbs/cft).
ix. They should have low thermal conductivity as it is desirable that building
made of them should be cool in summer and warm in winter.
x. They should be non-inflammable and incombustible.
xi. Bricks should not change in volume when wet.
xii. They should emit metallic sound when strikes by another brick.

5. Properties of Brick

The more important physical properties of brick are: compressive strength, flexural
strength, shearing strength, and weather resistance. Of less important, but still useful, are
absorption, porosity and hardness.

These properties are of more consequence in application to brick masonry than in

individual bricks. The raw materials and the manner and degree of burning influence the
physical properties greatly, and, therefore wide ranges in values are to be expected.

6
6. Brick making in Bangladesh

Bricks form the backbone of the aggregate requirement in Bangladesh. Traditionally,

brick making is a small-scale businesses mostly located in peri-urban areas. In
Bangladesh, there are over 4,000 brick-making enterprises producing over 12 billion
bricks annually. Annual growth rate of the construction sector in Bangladesh has ranged
from 8.1% to 8.9% in the last decade and this is expected to continue into the foreseeable
future.

Brick production, however, is one of the most environmentally damaging activities in the
industrial sector. It is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in
Bangladesh estimated to be in the order of 3.0 million tonnes of CO2 annually.

Outmoded, inefficient and poorly constructed kilns and the use of substandard fuels such
as high sulphur coal, tires and wood energy in the kilns have all contributed to these high
levels of kiln emissions. The kilns utilize a technology that is centuries old. Unless
interventions that will induce change are implemented, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
will continue to grow unabated accompanied with deteriorating air quality. Besides the
air pollution, brick making industries contributes to 2 other serious environmental
concerns: land degradation and deforestation.

7
7. Performance of over burnt distorted bricks as aggregates in pavement works

In the customary way of clay brick production by burning soil in Bangladesh and other
developing countries, a good number of bricks (approximately 13%) are severely over
burnt due to uncontrolled distribution of temperature in the kiln. These bricks are dark
red in color, severely distorted, and swollen. These bricks are considered totally useless
and are not allowed in any construction work. In this study, the feasibility of utilizing
these overburnt bricks as coarse aggregates in highway pavement projects was explored.
Routine laboratory tests such as the Los Angeles abrasion, water absorption, specific
gravity, and unit weight, were used to compare the properties of the overbumt bricks with
the best possible quality picked or pick-Jhama (Type A) bricks from the same stockyards
in Bangladesh. It was found that overburnt brick aggregates are much stronger, less
absorptive, and denser in general than the ones from the picked or pick-Jhama (Type A)
bricks. Therefore, these bricks may be conveniently and economically used as highway
pavement coarse aggregates. Manufacturers may also be encouraged to produce such
high strength brick with adequate quality control measures.

8
8. Urban Air Quality, Climate Change, and Development: An Integrated Approach
to “Greening” the Brick Industry in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Dhaka has a population of more than 12 million, accounting for about one third of
Bangladesh‟s urban population. The population density in Dhaka is one of the highest in
the world, with as much as 20,000 people per square kilometer. About 4.2% of the
inhabitants live in slum areas that lack basic urban services and are highly polluted.
Furthermore, it is estimated that approximately half the population of Dhaka lives on less
than US $1 a day. Yet, Dhaka is the engine of economic growth for Bangladesh. The city
benefits from agglomeration economies and contributes almost 40% of the national GDP.
It is projected that by 2015 Dhaka will have a population of approximately 22 million,
and rank as the fourth largest city in the world.

The Bangladesh Country Environmental Analysis undertaken jointly by the World Bank
and Government if Bangladesh, estimated that economic cost associated with
environmental degradation are about 4.3% of GDP, with urban air pollution accounting
for almost one-fourth of that. In Dhaka alone, this translates to health costs of almost
US$500 million per year. Brick making is a major source of air pollution in and around
Dhaka, in addition to vehicular emissions and re-suspended road dust.

9
Brick making in Bangladesh is an informal sector activity with more than a million
people depended on it for their livelihood. It is seasonal, highly energy intensive, and a
major source of GHG emissions. Total production in Bangladesh is estimated at 15
billion bricks annually, and given the extensive use of coal and wood in the industry, the
GHG emissions are estimated to be 8.75 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually.
Demand for bricks is growing at about 5.6% annually, closely trailing the urbanization
rate of approximately 6%. Brick making in Bangladesh lacks supporting policies and
regulations to encourage cleaner and more energy-efficient practices and technologies.
There are more than 1200 brick kilns located around Dhaka

In response to a request from the Government, the World Bank is supporting the
“Greening” of the brick industry in Bangladesh. A “carrot” and “stick” approach is
proposed, where technical assistance to the brick kiln entrepreneurs will be
complemented with tightening of regulations. Starting initially with Dhaka, this initiative
is planned to be undertaken countrywide over a four year period as part of a World Bank
supported project. This presentation will share the work undertaken so far on this
initiative, and the proposed way forward, as an example of developing an integrated
approach to address industrial hotspot pollution to derive local and global benefits, within
a long-term development framework.

10
9. Aggregate for Road Construction in Bangladesh

The conventional aggregates for road pavements, naturally occurring rocks and gravels
are not available in Bangladesh except in small quantities in Northern Sylhet and
Dinajpur area. It is expensive to carry these natural aggregates from their sources to job
sites if the haulage length is high. Again with the increased and continued consumption,
those naturally occurring aggregate sources are depleted. On the other hand, bricks are
available readily or can be manufactured in kilns near job sites. So, more than 80
percentages of the construction works in Bangladesh uses artificial produced brick
aggregate.

In most area of Bangladesh, soils are suitable plasticity exist of making bricks, therefore
brick manufacturing are widespread in the country as is the potential source of brick
aggregates. Fortunately Bangladesh has substantial storage of natural gas and in some
brick kilns this gas is being used as the fuel to burning bricks. Of different classes of
bricks, overburnt or jhama bricks are mainly crushed to make aggregates. Bricks of this
class are often slightly deformed and have a compressive strength of the order of 30-40
N/mm2 and an absorption of around 8-12 percent.

The crushing of bricks and boulders can be done manually or by using machines.
Machine crushing is costly in Bangladesh and machines are not always available in every
work site. But day laborers are easily available and they can crush bricks or boulders to
aggregates. Bangladesh is a populous country where a large number of labours remain
jobless. In the interest of employing the surplus labour force “labor intensive methods”
are preferred in the construction sector. Therefore production of aggregate is done
manually by crushing bricks or boulders for most road construction.

In manual crushing method, a brick or a boulder is placed o a relatively stronger surface

(usually a boulder for bricks and a piece of metal for boulders). It is then stricked with a
metal hammer continuously until the brick or boulder breaks into pieces. The pieces are
again crushed down to smaller pieces and the process is repeated until the desired sizes
are obtained.

Crushed brick

11
10. Intrinsic Properties of Brick Aggregates:

Name of test Test designation Average value

Shape & Texture of Coarse Particle BS 812: 1975 Angular & rough
Aggregate Impact Value BS 812: 1975 32
Ten Percent Fines Value BS 812: 1975 70
Aggregate Crushing Value BS 812: 1975 36
Angularity Number ] average BS 812: 1975 9
Flakiness Index ] result of BS 812: 1975 19
Elongation Index ] result of BS 812: 1975 34
Los Angels Abrasion Value ASTM C 131-81 37
Soundness Value TRRL LR 293 20
Oven Dried Relative Density BS 812: 1975 1.85
Absorption Value BS 812: 1975 15

Variation of 10 percent fines value with different cycles of wetting and drying for brick
aggregate

12
Variation of ACV with different cycles of wetting and drying for brick aggregate

Bricks

13
11. Brick Soling (pavement):

14
12. Brick Pavement

Bricks have been used for paving streets and roads over a number of years, both in
Bangladesh and abroad. Some of the city streets in the United States of America,
constructed about 50 years ago with brick-paved surfaces over a cement concrete base,
have gives a remarkable performance. In Holland too, vitrified brick roads constructed
more than 100 years ago have given good service. The scarcity of the stone aggregate
and the suitability of the local soils for the manufacture of bricks, have made this
specification popular.

Brick paving are adopted for the following uses:

i) As sub-base layer for important roads.
ii) As base layer for middle category roads.
iii) As a surfacing layer for very unimportant roads (village roads etc.).
iv) As a specification for shoulders, especially of single-lane roads.
v) As a surfacing layer for service lanes, footpaths and cycle tracks in towns and
cities.
In the USA and some other countries abroad, brick pavement has been adopted as a
surface layer over a base of cement concrete.

Advantages and disadvantages:

The following are the advantages of brick pavements
i) In the alluvial plains, the scarcity of stone materials compels the engineer to
use of bricks in any component of the pavement structure.
ii) The manufacture and laying of bricks as practiced in Bangladesh is a highly
labour intensive process and should find favor with the engineers for many
years to come. Practically no mechanically equipment id needed.
iii) The salvage of the bricks is high. They can be reused after dismantling for
any reason.
iv) If used as a surface course, the brick pavement is dust free. This property can
be used to advantage in paving city lanes, foot paths and cycle-tracks at a
cheap cost.
v) A tolerably firm shoulder of brick is a great advantage for single roads. Such
shoulders ensure firm lateral support to the pavement, increase the capacity of
the single lane road and provide a stable surface for overtaking and crossing
maneuvers.
vi) Traffic can be allowed as soon as the pavement is laid. There is no curing
time or setting time.
vii) The maintenance of the brick pavement is relatively easy and cheap.

Some of the disadvantages are

i) Brick pavement lacks the interlocking stability obtained from graded
aggregates. In fact, it is argued that the stability of a layer of broken brick
aggregates, well compacted, is much higher than that of brick paving.
ii) As a surfacing layer, the abrasion by iron-tyred traffic causes quick wear,
leading to ruts. With pneumatic tyred traffic also, unprotected brick surface

15
 wear out quickly. This disadvantage is overcome by providing a thin
bituminous surfacing such as chipping carpet.

Brick pavement patterns

13. RHD technical specification on Brick Pavement

This work shall consist of furnishing and laying bricks on a prepared and accepted
subgrade or improved subgrade to form brick pavement in accordance with specification,
and to the lines, levels, grades, dimensions and cross sections shown on the drawings, or
as directed by the engineer.
The materials shall consist of first class bricks, which meet the requirements.

16
Brick in end edging:

This work consist of providing and placing brick on end edging along the road adjacent
to the side of the pavement of single layer brick flat soling and herringbone bond brick.

Bricks shall be laid on end edging with their longest side vertical and shortest side
perpendicular to the road including necessary excavation filing and ramming to the
satisfaction of the engineer. The completed work shall be true to line and level and grade
as indicated on the drawings. Interstices between brick edging and adjacent paving or
soling shall be filled by brushing in sand until voids are filled; the edging shall then be
sprinkled with water.

Single layer Brick flat soling:

This item consists of providing single layer brick flat soling on accepted subgrade or
improve subgrade.

The brick shall be laid flat on a 75mm thick compacted sand cushion layer over the
prepared subgrade or improved surface. Bricks shall be laid in a regular and uniform
manner. Interstices of bricks shall be filled with sand, and water shall be applied ny
sprinkling. No brick shall be laid on loose earth or earth filling which has not been
compacted to the required density and no bricks shall be laid on any surface which has
not been inspected and approved by the engineer.

Brick on edge pavement in Herringbone bond:

This work shall consist of a base composed of bricks, laid on edge in a herringbone
pattern on a 12mm sand cushion, placed on a prepared single layer brick flat soling in
accordance with these specification and to the lines, grades, levels, dimensions and cross
section shown on the drawings or as required by the engineer.

The edge of the layer shall be made with cut bricks to produce a line which is compatible
with brick edging. The joints shall be filled with sand brushed in and the completed layer
shall be sprinkled liberally with water.

17
14. Factor influencing the base and sub-base characteristics

Modern pavement design procedures are based on multilayered elastic theory concept. In
all rational pavement design procedure, it is emphasized that the stress at any point
below the pavement due to load or loads on the surface is a function of many factors of
which the quality of the material is the constant influencing factor. The strains and
stresses are functions of poison‟s ratio and modulus of elasticity which depend on the
material type and quality. The quality reflects the properties like strength, toughness,
soundness & durability.

Other important factors which influence the base and sub-base courses are particle size
distribution, particle shape, relative density, internal friction, cohesion, type of binder,
void ratio and porosity.

The above factors influence the following general characteristics of the mixture used in
base and sub-base construction,
i) Density and stability.
ii) Effect of crushed particles.
iii) Effect of plasticity.
iv) Effect of solid grading.
v) Soundness.
vi) Permeability.

15. Type of Bricks used in sub-base and base

In the conventional road pavements the aggregates used for surfacing, base and sub-base
courses consist of crushed stone, gravel, bricks and crushed slag. The dense low
absorptive natural aggregate having crushing strength are not available in Bangladesh
except in small quantities in Northern Sylhet and Dinajpur area. The increased and
continued consumption of these naturally occurring aggregate sources are being depleted.
On other hand bricks are available readily or can be manufactured in kilns near job sites.
Crushed brick aggregates are used for a long time in the construction of base and
sub-base courses of pavements.

Base and sub-base courses in flexible pavements: The top layer of a flexible pavement is
constructed a relatively thin high quality bituminous wearing surface. The main
thickness is built up by the base and sub-base courses.

Mixtures of construction of base and sub-base courses consist of coarse and fine
aggregates and some fine from the silt and clay portion of soil. The entire course
aggregates of a well graded dense mixtured can be obtained by crushing bricks.

The comparison of four types of bricks with different crushing strength and absorption
capacity is shown below. Bricks are locally known as „Gas burnt picked jhama
(GBPJ)‟, „Coal burnt picked jhama (CBPJ)‟, „First class‟ & „Third class‟.

18
 Properties of different types are shown below:

Properties Gas Burnt Coal Burnt First Class Third Class

Picked Picked
Jhama(GBPJ) Jhama(CBPJ)
Colour Blackish red Red Pale red

Burning Over burnt Well burnt Under burnt

Condition

Avg. weight 7.55 6.38 6.15 5.86

of a brick,lbs
Avg. 5,050 3,575 3,130 1,375
crushing
strength, psi
Avg. 11.0 11.03 12.25 23.49
absorption,
%

Gradation Z
Sieve Size Percent Finer
2” 100
1 ½” 95-100
3/4” 70-90
3/8” 50-68
No. 4 38-50
No.8 24-40
No. 30 10-22
No. 200 8-12

In a well graded soil aggregate mixture it was found that „gas burnt picked jhama‟ brick
aggregate gave maximum CBR value. maximum dry density and minimum optimum
moisture content. Gas burnt brick aggregate-sand-soil mixture can satisfactorily be
used in base and sub-base courses.

19
 Properties of different type of materials:

Properties Gas burnt Coal burnt First Class Third Class Crushed
for Std. picked picked brick brick Stone
AASHO jhama(GBPJ) jhama(CBPJ)
Compaction Brick brick
Optimum 13.0 14.5 15.0 16.5 10.5
moisture
content in
%
Maxm dry- 119.0 118.74 115.6 113.5 149.0
density
lbs/cft
CBR value 97.0 74.0 62.5 42.0 94.0
In %

CBR Compactive Effort Relation:

Compactive CBR value in percentage

Effort applied
in lb/cft Gas burnt picked Crushed stone
jhama (GBPJ)
brick

56,000 156.0 160.0

(modified
AASHO)
14,320 97.0 94.0
(standard
AASHO)
14,300 115.5 110.0
6,600 59.5 61.5
3,300 45.6 52.8

20
16. Roads and Highway Department (RHD) of Bangladesh‟s pavement design

The design of flexible road pavements is generally thought to be a specialist activity that
can only be undertaken by consultants experienced in this type of design. Part of the
reason for this may be that foreign consultants engaged on the design of road pavements
in Bangladesh have tended to use design standards from their respective countries, or
other international standards with which they are familiar.

This RHD Pavement Design Guide has been prepared based on two internationally
recognized design standards, namely the AASHTO Pavement Design Manual and the
TRL Overseas Road Note 31, with a view to making the design of road pavements as
straightforward as possible and to ensure that the same standards are adopted for all RHD
roads.

For roads that are intended to carry only low volumes of traffic standard pavement
designs have been included, together with an easy to follow design procedure to identify
the required thickness of the various pavement layers for other more heavily trafficked
roads.

Surfacing is the riding surface of the road and varies from a light bitumen spray with
stone chippings (bitumen surface treatment) to one or more layers of dense bitumen
surfacing.

Base is the main load-spreading layer of the road pavement. It must be constructed of
high quality brick or stone aggregate.

21
Sub-base is the secondary load-spreading layer of the pavement. It is usually either
crushed stone, broken brick aggregate (frequently mixed with sand) or locally
available gravel.

Improved Sub-grade is imported material (e.g. fine or coarse sand) that is locally
available. It is intended to act as a cushioning layer between weak sub-grades and the
road pavement layers. If the sub-grade is of sufficient strength (i.e. CBR value) then an
improved sub-grade may not be required.

Sub-grade is the soil immediately beneath the road structure. It is a layer of natural
locally available material that meets the requirements of RHD Technical Specifications.

17. RHD specification for sub-base

This work shall consist of furnishing, placing and compacting sub-base material on a
prepared and accepted subgrade or improved subgrade in accordance with these
specifications, and to the lines, levels, grades, dimensions and cross sections shown on
the drawings or as required by the engineer.

Materials
Material shall be natural or artificial aggregate material, free from vegetable matter, soft
particles and excess clay. Natural and artificial material may be mixed together provided
they fully conform to all requirements of the specification and the proportions are
approved by the engineer in writing. The material for sub-base shall conform to the
requirements given below:

a) Grading: The grading shall conform to grading envelopes A or B and the fraction
passing the 0.075 sieve shall be not greater than three quarters of the fraction
passing the 0.300 mm sieve.
b) Plasticity: The portion passing the 0.425mm sieve shall, if it is plastic, have a
liquid limit not greater than 25% and a plasticity index not greater than 6%.
c) CBR: The material shall have a 4 day soaked CBR value not less than 25% when
compacted to 98% of maximum dry density.
d) Aggregate crushing value / Ten percent fines value: Any material retained on the
10 mm sieve shall have an Aggregate Crushing Value of not greater than 38% and
the ten percent fines value shall not be less than 75 KN.

22
 Grading Requirements for Sub-base Material

Sieve Size Percentage by Weight Passing Sieves

(mm)
Grading A Grading B

50 100 _
38 85-100 _
20 55-95 100
10 35-75 70-100
5 25-60 45-85
2.4 15-50 30-70
0.600 7-35 10-45
0.300 6-27 7-30
0.075 3-15 4-20

18. RHD Specification for Aggregate Base

This work shall consist of a base type I or type II, composed of crushed aggregate
material placed and compacted on a prepared and accepted sub-base or other base course
in accordance with these specification and the lines, levels, grades, dimensions and cross
sections shown on the drawings or as required by the engineer.

Materials
Crushed aggregates shall consist of hard durable particles or fragments of rock, brick or
gavel crushed to he required size, and a filler of sand or other finely divided mineral
matter. When stone is produced from crushed rock, it shall be from a source approved in
writing by the engineer, and crushed and screened to achieve the required grading. When
produced from gravel, not less than 50% by weight of the coarse aggregate shall be
particles having at least one fractured face and, if necessary to meet this requirement or to
eliminate an excess of filler, the gravel shall be screened before crushing.

The material for base shall conform to the requirements given below:

a) Grading: The grading shall conform to one of the grading envelopes A or B. The
materials shall be well graded within the envelope with no excess or deficiency of
any size. The fraction passing the 0.075 mm sieve shall not be greater than three
quarters of the fraction passing the 0.300 mm sieve.
b) Plasticity: The portion of aggregate passing the 0.425 mm sieve shall if it is
plastic, in all cases, have a liquid limit of not more than 20% and a plasticity
index of not more than 5%.

23
 c) CBR: The material shall have a minimum soaked CBR value at a compaction of
98% of the maximum dry density as follows

Base Type I : 80%

Base Type II : 50%
d) Aggregate crushing value / Ten percent fines value:

ACV % TEN PERCENT

FINE
Base Type I Less than 30% Greater than 125 KN

Base Type II Less than 35% Greater than 90 KN

Grading Requirements for Aggregate Base

Grading Requirements for Aggregate Base

Sieve Size Percentage by Weight Passing Sieves

(mm)
Grading A Grading B

50 100 _
38 90-100 _
20 60-90 100
10 40-70 80-100
5 30-55 50-80
2.4 20-45 35-65
0.600 10-30 15-40
0.300 7-25 10-30
0.075 5-15 5-15

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19. Aggregate Grading by LGED (Local Government & Engineering Department)

Aggregate grading for sub-base and base course

For Sub-base Course For Base Course

Sieve Size
(mm) % Passing by Weight % Passing by Weight

38 100 100
20 55-95 60-80
10 35-75 40-60
4.75 25-60 25-45
2.36 15-50 15-32
0.600 10-35 10-20
0.300 10-25 _
0.075 5-15 0-15

Aggregate Grading for Bituminous Carpeting

Sieve Size 25 mm Dense 40 mm Dense Open Graded BC

(mm) Graded BC Graded BC
% Passing by Weight % Passing by % Passing by
Weight Weight

25 100 100 100

20 100 75-100 90-100
16 100 _ _
12.5 75-100 60-80 _
10 60-80 _ 20-55
4.75 35-55 35-55 0-10
2.36 20-35 20-33 0-5
0.600 10-20 6-18 _
0.075 2-8 2-8 _

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 Aggregate Grading for Bituminous Seal Coat

Sieve Size For 7 mm Seal For 12 mm Seal

(mm) % Passing by Weight % Passing by Weight

10 _ 100
6.3 100 80-100
4.75 80-100 70-95
2.36 70-95 20-50
0.600 20-50 5-15
0.075 5-15 2-10

20. Water Bound Macadam (WBM) for road construction in Bangladesh

Water Bound Macadam Courses has been considered as the sub-base for concrete and
sub-base or base for flexible pavements during the last few years in Bangladesh. In most
cases good quality crushed bricks are being used in such construction due to scarcity on
conventional stone aggregates.

26
 WBM

Aggregate Water

Coarse Aggregate
(material retained on Screening
2.36 mm sieve)

Fine aggregates (materials

passing 2.36mm sieve bur Fines (materials
retained on 75 µm sieve) passing 75 µm sieve

The improvement of highway transport system in rural areas in Bangladesh means the
improvement of the earthen roads. Since no binder materials is required for WBM
construction, it is appropriate to use WBM for economic road construction in
Bangladesh. The road construction authority in Bangladesh therefore recommended
WBM construction for base and sub-base courses of flexible pavements in Bangladesh.
Due to insurmountable deficiency of conventional stone aggregate in Bangladesh,
crushed bricks are used for the construction of base and sub-base course of flexible
pavements. Good quality brick aggregates in unbound condition has been found
satisfactory, from strength consideration provided they are compacted in a dense
grading applying appropriate compacting energy.

Bangladesh Road Research laboratory, BRRL recommends to use broken brick and
brick/sand mixtures for sub-base construction although gavels may be available in some
areas. For sub-base work the materials should conform to one of the grading
requirements shown below. BRRL also recommends, WBM for construction of bases of
flexible pavements where normally crushed stone aggregate, broken brick aggregate or a
mixture of both is used. Base materials should conform one of the grading A or B shown
below depending on the maximum size of the aggregate available.

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 Sieve Percent by weight passing sieve
Designation Sub-base Base
Grading A Grading B Grading Grading A Grading B
C

50 mm 100 _ _ 100 _
38 mm 85-100 _ _ 90-100 _
20 mm 55-95 100 _ 60-90 100
10 mm 35-75 70-100 100 40-70 30-100
5 mm 25-60 45-35 75-80 30-55 50-80
2.4 mm 15-50 30-70 50-80 20-45 35-65
0.600mm 7-35 10-45 30-70 10-30 15-40
0.300mm _ 7-30 20-40 7-25 10-30
0.075mm 3-15 4-20 10-25 5-15 5-15

General Requirements of Sub-base Materials:

a) The Plasticity Index for the Sub-base materials shall not be greater than 9% and
the liquid limit shall not exceed 25%.
b) The Ten Percent Fines Value of the sub-base material shall not be greater than 75
KN.
c) The soaked CBR of the subgrade material compact to 95% of the maximum dry
density for heavy (or vibrating hammer) compaction shall not be less than 25%.

General Requirement for Base Materials:

a) The Plasticity Index of the base material shall not be greater than 5% and the
liquid limit shall not exceed 20%.
b) Aggregate Crushing Value (ACV) and the Ten Percent Fines Value (TFV) of the
base material shall be in accordance with table shown below.
c) The soaked CBR of the base material compacted to 98% of the maximum dry
density for heavy (or vibrating hammer) compaction shall be in accordance with
table shown below.

Strength requirements for BRRL base materials

Base CBR ACV Ten Percent Fines
Type Not less than Not more than not less than
I 80% 30% 150%
II 50% 35% 100KN

28
The materials used in the water bound macadam mixes (to be used in base or sub-base
construction) consists of crushed pricked jhama brick, medium to fine sand and silt and
clay fractions of soil for road construction in Bangladesh. These three components of the
mixture were selected to meet the desired gradation. Main portion of the coarse and fine
aggregates in the mixture were obtained by crushing picked jhama bricks. Highly over
burnt and porous bricks were rejected.

Coarse aggregate portion of the macadam mixes were obtained by sieving crushed bricks.
They are washed and dried and combined in appropriate proportion of desired gradation.
Fine aggregate portion was mixture of brick chip screenings and medium sand.

21. Degradation of Brick Aggregates due to Different Compactive Efforts:

Percent Passing By Weight

Initial Final grading obtained after compacting by
Sieve Size Grading hammer
2.5 kg hammer 4.5kg hammer BS Vib.
hammer
20 mm(3/4”) 100 100 100 100
10 mm(3/8”) 35 89 90 86
5 mm(No.4) 65 70 72 68
0.4mm(No.8) 50 54.5 58 53
0.6mm(No.30) 27.5 33 34 31
0.3mm(No.50) 18.5 24 25.5 23
0.075mm(No.200) 12 16 17 15.5

29
22. CONCLUSION

In recent years the use of bricks for road construction has increased unexpectedly in
many countries of the world. Specially in the developing countries of south east Asia,
crushed bricks are being used in many civil engineering works including roads.

 Due to insurmountable deficiency of conventional natural aggregates in

Bangladesh, crushed bricks are used for the construction of base and sub-base
course of flexible pavements. Good quality brick in unbound condition has been
found to be satisfactory, from strength consideration, provided they are
compacted in a dense grading applying appropriate compacting energy.

 Aggregate prepared by crushing uniformly vitrified ad slightly over-burnt bricks,

locally known as “Picked Jhama Bricks” are suitable for the surface courses of
asphaltic concrete pavements from the consideration of aggregate properties.

 The aggregate gradation of brick-aggregate asphaltic mixes should be different

from that of natural stone-sand mix.

 The stability and stiffness of brick-aggregate mixes are satisfactory but the void
content of these mixes are high. The upper limit of the percentage of voids in
these mixes may be raised to six percent from five percent which is also permitted
by U.S.Asphalt Institute.

 The asphalt requirement of brick-aggregate aphaltic mixes is higher than that of

conventional aggregate mixes.

 Crushed brick aggregate satisfy the general criteria of aggregate for base and sub-
base construction.

 The gas burnt picked jhama brick aggregate is the most satisfactory among all
bricks, considering the wear ability of the aggregate.

 Among four types of brick aggregate mixtures, the gas burnt picked jhama brick
aggregate has the maximum density and minimum optimum moisture content.

 Using suitable gradation, the CBR value of the mixture is the most important
characteristics for the base or sub-base constructions. The capacity in terms of
CBR value is the highest for gas burnt picked jhama brick aggregate mixture.

30
REFERENCE

 Zakaria, M. and Rauf, A.F.M Abdur, “Behaviour of brick aggregates for the
construction of base and sub-base courses” Journal of the Institute of Engineers,
Bangladesh, Vol. 14, No. 4, October 1986.
 Hoque, Alamgir M., “Behaviour of brick aggregate asphaltic concrete for road
pavement”. M.Sc. Engineering Thesis, Civil Engineering Department, BUET,
1976.
 Bangladesh Road Research Laboratory (BRRL), “A guide to the design and
construction of bitumen surfaced roads in Bangladesh”, Dhaka, November, 1987.
 Zakaria, M., “Degradation characteristics of brick aggregate”, AIT-BUET
seminar on “Technology for self reliance and development”, Vol.1, sec.6, Dhaka,
1989.
 British Standard Institution, Method of test for soils for civil engineering
purposes. British Standards BS 1377: 1975, SI, UK, 1975.
 Department of Environment, “Specification for road and bridge works”, U.K.,
1969.
 Sobhan, M. Abdus, “Characterization of bituminous macadam for road
construction in Bangladesh”. M.Sc. Engineering Thesis, Civil Engineering
Department, BUET, 1987.
 Zakaria, M. “Characterization of unbound aggregate for road construction in
developing countries”, Ph.D. Thesis. University of Birmingham, England. 1986.
 Indian Roads congress, “Standard specification and code of practice for water
bound macadam”, New Delhi, January, 1982.
 American Association for State Highway and Transportation Officials, “Standard
specifications for highway materials and method of sampling and testing”, 1966.
 Gurucharan Singh, “Highway Engineering”, 3rd Edition, Standard publisher
distributors, Delhi-110006.
 Dr. L.R. Kadiyali, “Principles and practices of highway engineering”, 4th Edition,
Khanna publishers, Delhi-6.
 Paul H. Wright, “Highway Engineering”, 7th Edition, John Willey & Sons, Inc.
2008.
 Planning Division of Local Government & Engineering Department (LGED) of
Bangladesh.

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 !!!

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