California Bearing Ratio Test (IS: 2720-1979 (Part XVI) ) Objective

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CALIFORNIA BEARING RATIO TEST

(IS: 2720-1979 (Part XVI))

OBJECTIVE:
To determine the CBR value of Subgrade/Base course material for pavement.

APPARATUS:
CBR testing machine with a mould , base plate, collar, loading frame, cylindrical plunger and
dial gauge, Sieves (47.5 mm and 20 mm ISS), Soaking tank, Oven, Filter paper, Calibrated
measuring jar.

PROCEDURE:

I] Preparation of Test Specimen

➢ Remoulded samples for laboratory CBR test are prepared with dry density as obtained from Proctor
compaction test and the water content as either optimum water content or the field moisture as the
case may be.
➢ The remoulded samples are prepared by compacting either statically or dynamically.

i) Statically Compacted Specimen:

➢ Calculate the amount of material required such that it fills the mould (excluding mould) at
the desired density after compaction.
➢ Calculate the amount of water to be added to give desired water content.
➢ Mix the soil thoroughly with water.
➢ Fix the extension collar to the mould and clamp it to the base plate.
➢ Fix the mould with soil, gently pressing it with hands so that it does not spill out of the
mould.
➢ Place a coarse filter paper over the leveled soil surface and then insert the space disc.
➢ Place the assembly on the pedestal of compression machine and compact the material
until the top of the spacer disc is flush with the top of the collar.

ii) Dynamically Compacted Specimen:

➢ Sieve the material through 20 mm IS sieve.


➢ Take about 4.5 kg or more of representative sample for fine grained material and about
5.5 kg for granular material in a mixing pan.
➢ Add water to the material in the quantity such that the moisture content of the specimen is
either equal to field moisture content or OMC as desired.
➢ Mix together the material & water uniformly.
➢ Clamp the mould along with the extension collar to the base plate.
➢ Place the coarse filter paper on the top of the spacer disc.
➢ Pour the mix in the mould in such a quantity that after compaction about 1/5th of the
mould is filled.
➢ Give 56 blows with the rammer weighing 2.6 kg dropping through 310 mm in three layers
(light compaction) or 4.89 kg dropping through 450 mm in 5 layers (heavy compaction)
evenly spread on the surface.
➢ Scratch the top layer of compacted surface. Add more soil and compact in similar fashion.
Fill the mould completely in five layers.
➢ Remove the extension collar and trim off the excess material by a straight edge.
➢ Remove the base plate, spacer disc and the filter paper and note down the weight of mould
and compacted specimen.
➢ Place a coarse filter paper on the perforated base plate.
➢ Invert the mould containing compacted material and clamp it to the base plate.

II] Testing the Specimen

➢ Place the mould containing the specimen, with base plate in position, on the CBR testing
machine.
➢ Place the annular weight of 2.5 kg on the top surface of specimen.
➢ Bring the penetration plunger in contact with soil surface and apply a load of 4 kg so that
full contact between specimen and plunger is established. This should be taken as zero
load.
➢ Place the remainder surcharge weight so that total surcharge weight equals to 5 kg.
➢ Set the reading of dial gauges to zero.
➢ Apply load so that penetration rate is 1.2 mm per min. Record the load at penetration of 0,
0.5, 2.0, 2.5, 4.0, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 and 12.5 mm. The maximum load has to be recorded if it
occurs at less than 12.5 mm.
➢ Collect about 20 to 50 gm of material to determine the water content.

➢ CBR Test on Soaked Specimen:


➢ To perform CBR test on soaked specimen, the sample excluding base plate and
spacer disc is weighed.
➢ A filter paper is placed on the sample with a perforated plate on it. Over it, a
surcharge weight 2.5 or 5 kg is placed and the sample is soaked in water tank for 4
days.
➢ The sample is then allowed to drain off water in a vertical position for about 15
minutes.
➢ The sample is weighed again to calculate the percentage of water absorbed. It is
then tested following the normal procedure.

COMPUTATION OF TEST RESULTS:


➢ Plot the load penetration curve with load as ordinate and penetration as abscissa.
Sometimes the initial portion of the curve is concave upwards 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 corrected zero reading of penetration.
➢ From the curve, determine the load value corresponding to the penetration value at which
the CBR is desired.
➢ Compute CBR value as follows:

Test load corresponding to chosen penetration


CBR value = X 100
Standard load for the same penetration

➢ The standard load for different penetration values is taken from the Table-1 given below.
Table-1: Standard Load for Different Penetration Values
Unit standard load Total Standard Load
Penetration (mm) (kg/cm2) (kg)
2.5 70 1350
5 105 2055
7.5 134 2630
10 162 3180
12.5 183 3600

➢ Usually the CBR value is calculated for 2.5 mm and 5 mm penetration. Generally the CBR
value at 2.5 mm penetration will be greater than that at 5 mm and in such a case the former
is taken for design purposes. If the 5 mm value is greater, the test is repeated, if the same
results follow, the CBR value corresponding to 5 mm penetration is adopted for design
purposes.

OBSERVATION TABLE:

➢ Value of loading in kg against penetration values in mm on a sample:

ROLL NO: U17CE018


SAMPLE: I SAMPLE: I
Penetration (mm)
LOAD (KG) LOAD (KG)
0.5 3 3
1 6 5
1.5 11 9
2 14 12
2.5 18 17
3 23 21
4 25 24
5 30 28
7.5 43 42
10 60 58
12.5 63 59

➢ Area of the plunger: 19.625 cm2

➢ Zero correction: 0
➢ Corrected load at 2.5 mm penetration: 18 kg

➢ Pressure at 2.5 mm penetration: 0.917 kg/cm2

➢ Corrected load at 5.0 mm penetration: 30 kg

➢ Pressure at 5.0 mm penetration: 1.529 kg/cm2

➢ Standard pressure for 2.5 mm penetration: 70 kg/cm2

➢ Standard pressure at 5.0 mm penetration: 105 kg/cm2

➢ CBR at 2.5 mm: (18/1350) * 100 = 1.333

➢ CBR at 5.0 mm: (30/2055) * 100 = 1.4599

➢ CBR of material: 1.4599 ( 1.4599 > 1.333)

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

CONCLUSION :-
From this experiment we can conclude that higher the CBR value harder the material.
Generally, the CBR value at 2.5 mm penetration is higher and this value is adopted, but
in our case after repeated test the CBR value at 5.0 mm penetration was higher and
hence this value is selected CBR value of the sample. Sample 1 in our case had higher
CBR value than Sample 2, hence Sample 1 is harder and better material.
EORETICAL QUESTIONS

1. How is CBR value expressed?


2. What are the different methods of preparation of CBR test specimen in the
laboratory?
3. Why undistributed soil sample taken from field is not recommended for CBR test?
4. How is CBR value evaluated from the graph?
5. When is correction of CBR value called for?
6. What are the causes for the initial concavity of the CBR curve?
7. What is the significance of surcharge load while soaking and testing soil?
8. The CBR values of a soil is obtained at 2.5 mm and 5mm penetration are 6 and 8
percentage respectively, after repeated testing. What is the CBR value to be adopted
for design?
9. CBR value of soil A is 20% and for soil B is 5%. Which one is better soil and why?
10. Briefly explain the CBR test procedure in your own words.
11. What are the application of CBR test?
12. Discuss the limitations of the CBR test.
13. What are the limitations of filed CBR test?

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