Highway Materials

Subgrade Performance

 A sub-grade’s performance generally depends on three of

its basic characteristics (all of which are interrelated):

1. Load bearing capacity:

The Subgrade must be able to support loads transmitted
from the pavement structure.  This load bearing capacity
is often affected by degree of compaction, moisture
content, and soil type.  A subgrade that can support a
high amount of loading without excessive deformation is
considered good. 
2. Moisture content:
Moisture tends to affect a number of subgrade properties
including load bearing capacity, shrinkage and swelling. 
Moisture content can be influenced by a number of
things such as drainage, groundwater table elevation,
infiltration, or pavement porosity (which can be assisted
by cracks in the pavement).  Generally, excessively wet
sub-grades will deform excessively under load.
3. Shrinkage and/or swelling:
Some soils shrink or swell depending upon
their moisture content.  Additionally, soils with
excessive fines content may be susceptible to
frost heave in cold climates.  Shrinkage,
swelling and frost heave will tend to deform
and crack any pavement type constructed over
them.
Improvement of Subgrade
Performance

Poor Subgrade should be avoided if

possible, but when it is necessary to build
over weak soils there are several methods
available to improve subgrade
performance:
 1. Removal and replacement (over-
excavation)
Poor Subgrade soil can simply
be removed and replaced with
high quality fill.  Although this Subgrade Plasticity Index
Depth of Over-Excavation
Below Subgrade Elevation
is simple in concept, it can be
expensive.  Table shows typical
over-excavation depths. 10 - 20 0.7 meters (2 ft.)

20 - 30 1.0 meter (3 ft.)

30 - 40 1.3 meters (4 ft.)

40 - 50 1.7 meters (5 ft.)

More than 50 2.0 meters (6 ft.)

 2. Stabilization with a cementitious or
asphaltic binder
The addition of an
Stabilization Conditions Under which it
appropriate binder (such as Material is Recommended
lime, Portland cement or
emulsified asphalt) can Sub-grades which exhibit
Portland Cement plasticity index of 10 or
increase subgrade stiffness less.
and/or reduce swelling
tendencies Sub-grades are sandy and do
not have an excessive
Asphalt Emulsion amount of material finer
than the 0.075 mm (#200)
sieve.
 3. Additional base layers

 Marginally poor subgrade soils may be

compensated for by using additional base layers. 
These layers (usually of crushed stone – either
stabilized or unstabilized) serve to spread pavement
loads over a larger subgrade area. 
 In short, a thick pavement structure over a poor
subgrade will not necessarily make a good
pavement.
Basic Properties of Soil

1. Moisture Content
2. Specific Gravity
3. Unit Weight
4. Shearing resistance
5. Other Soil Properties
 1. Moisture Content
 Water is an extremely important constituent of soil. The
moisture content is defined as “the weight water contained in a
given soil mass compared with the oven-dry weight of soil and
is usually expressed as a percentage.

Where w(%) = moisture content (%)

W1 = weight of wet soil and container (g)
W2 = weight of oven-dry soil and container (g)
 2. Specific Gravity

 Specific gravity of soil is defined as the “ratio of

the unit weight of soil particles to the unit weight
of water at some known temperature (usually
4˚C).

 Range: 2.60 to 2.80

3. Unit Weight
 4. Shearing Resistance
 Shear failure that occur in soil mass are as a result of
highway loads.
 Shear resistance within soil masses is commonly attributed
to the existence of “internal friction” and “cohesion”.
 Two extreme conditions:
 Cohesionless soil…… sand
 Frictionless soil …… highly cohesive clay
Coulomb’s law
 5. Other Soil Properties
 Permeability

 Capillarity

 Shrinkage

 Swelling

 Compressibility

 Elasticity (elastic modulus) (more commonly used term in

pavement design is Resilient Modulus)
 Group Index
 The group index is calculated from the following formula:
GI = (F – 35)[0.2 + 0.005(LL – 40)] + 0.01(F – 15)(PI – 10)
Where
F = percentage passing 0.074mm (No. 200) sieve, expressed as
a whole number
LL = Liquid Limit
PI = Plasticity Index (PI = LL – PL)
 Group Index
 The group index should be reported to the nearest whole
number. When the calculated GI is negative, it should be
reported as zero.

 When calculating group Index of A-2-6 and A-2-7

subgroups, only PI portion of the formula should be used.

 GI = 0 to 20 (0 indicates good while 20 or more indicates

very poor subgrade.
 Group Index

Example: 1
A-6 material has 55 percent passing the 0.075 mm sieve,
Liquid limit of 40 and plasticity index of 25.

GI = (55-35)[0.2+0.005(40-40)] + 0.01(55-15)(25-10)

= 4.0 + 6.0 = 10
Example: 2
A-2-7 material has 30 percent passing the 0.075 mm sieve,
Liquid limit of 50 and plasticity index of 30.

GI = (F-35)[0.2+0.005(LL-40)] + 0.01(30-15)(30 - 10)

= 3.0
Practice