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Crowthorne
Berkshire
RG45 6AU

Overseas Development
Administration
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London
SW1E 5JL

OVERSEAS ROAD NOTE 31

(FOURTH EDITION)

A GUIDE TO THE STRUCTURAL DESIGN OF BITUMENSURFACED ROADS IN TROPICAL AND SUB-TROPICAL

COUNTRIES

Main Subject area: Roads

Theme: Road Pavement Engineering
Project title: The revision and extension of Road Note 31
Project reference: R5611

This document is an output from an ODA-funded research project, carried out for the benefit of
developing countries.

Crown copyright 1993. The views expressed in this report are not necessarily those of the Overseas
Development Administration or the Department of Transport.
Overseas Centre, TRL, 1993
ISSN 0951-8797

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This Note is based principally on research conducted in countries throughout the world by the Overseas Centre (Programme
Director Dr J Rolt) on behalf of the Overseas Development Administration. The research has been carried out with the active
collaboration of highway authorities in many countries and their help and cooperation has been essential to the success of the
work. The TRL project team responsible for the main chapters consisted of J Rolt, H R Smith, T Toole and C R Jones.
Additional written contributions were provided by D Newill, C J Lawrance, C S Gourley and R Robinson (now a private
consultant). Chapter 7 is based on an original contribution by H E Bofinger, formerly a member of the Overseas Centre and
currently a partner of Roughton & Partners. Where necessary use has also been made of other Overseas Centre publications
by other authors. The draft of the Note has been reviewed by experts from the Engineering Division of ODA, universities and
consulting firms and their comprehensive contributions are gratefully acknowledged.

OVERSEAS ROAD NOTES

Overseas Road Notes are prepared principally for road and transport authorities in countries receiving technical assistance
from the British Government. A limited number of copies is available to other organisations and to individuals with an interest
in roads overseas. Enquiries should be made to:
Transport Research Laboratory
Crowthorne, Berkshire RG45 6AU
Crown Copyright 1993
Limited extracts from the text may be reproduced, provided the source is acknowledged. For more extensive reproduction
please write to the above address.

FOREWORD
Road Note 31 was first published in 1962 and revised in 1966 and 1977 to take
account of advances in our understanding of the behaviour of road-budding materials
and their interaction in composite pavements. Many of these advances have been
made by engineers and scientists working in temperate climates but a considerable
amount of both fundamental and applied research has been necessary to adapt and
develop the knowledge so that it can be used with confidence in tropical and subtropical regions where conditions are often very different. In addition to differences
associated with climate and types of materials, problems also arise in some countries
from uncontrolled vehicle loading and unreliable road maintenance. At the same
time, the level of technology available for construction and maintenance can be
relatively low.
All this has presented a unique challenge to the highway engineer. This edition of the
Road Note has drawn on the experience of TRL and collaborating organisations in
over 30 tropical and sub-tropical countries. Most of this experience has been gained
in carrying out a research and development programme on behalf of the Overseas
Development Administration, with additional projects for other aid agencies. The new
edition extends the designs of previous editions to cater for traffic up to 30 million
equivalent standard axles and takes account of the variability in material properties
and construction control, the uncertainty in traffic forecasts, the effects of climate and
high axle loads and the overall statistical variability in road performance. The range of
structures has been expanded and the chapters on the different types of materials
have been enlarged to provide more detailed advice on specifications and
techniques. Nevertheless, there will be situations and conditions which are not
covered in the Note and there will be many examples where local knowledge can be
used to refine and improve the recommendations. Indeed, the role of local
engineering knowledge and the judgement of experienced engineers should never be
underestimated and should always form an important part of the design process.
The Note has been produced in response to a continuous demand from engineers
worldwide and I am confident that the new edition will prove to be as popular with
practitioners as its predecessors.
John Hodges
Chief Engineering Adviser
Overseas Development Administration

CONTENTS
Page
1. Introduction

Page

4.1.5

Compaction of embankments

15

4.1.6

Site control

17

1.1

General

1.2

Road deterioration

1.3

Economic considerations

1.4
1.5

4.2

Cuttings

17

4.2.1

Slope stability

17

Effects of climate

4.2.2

Surveys

17

Variability in material properties

and road performance

4.2.3

Design and construction

17

1.6

Uncertainty in traffic forecasts

1.7

Basis for the design catalogue

1.8

The design process

5. Drainage and Road Shoulders

2. Traffic

2.1

Design life

2.2

Estimating traffic flows

2.2.1

Baseline traffic flows

2.2.2

Traffic forecasting

5.1

The drainage system

19

5.2

Pavement cross-section

19

5.3

Drainage of layers

19

5.4

Shoulder materials

19

6. Unbound Pavement Materials

6.1

2.3

2.4

Axle loading

2.3.1

Axle equivalency

2.3.2

Axle load surveys

2.3.3

Determination of cumulative
equivalent standard axles

Accuracy

3. The Subgrade
3.1
3.2

21

6.1.1

Crushed stone

21

6.1.2

Naturally occurring granular

materials

23

Sub-bases (GS)

25

6.2.1

Bearing capacity

25

6.2.2

Use as a construction platform

25

6.2.3

Sub-base as a filter or
separating layer

25

6.3

Selected subgrade materials

and capping layers (GC)

26

Estimating the subgrade

moisture content

10

Determining the subgrade strength

11

7.1

Introduction

27

14

7.2

The stabilisation process

27

Embankments

14

7.3

Selection of type of treatment

28

4.1.1

Introduction and survey

14

7.4

Cement stabilisation

29

4.1.2

Materials

14

7.4.1

Selection of cement content

29

4.1.3

Design

15

7.4.2

Preparation of specimens

29

4.1.4

Construction over
compressible soils

15

4. Embankments and Cuttings

4.1

6.2

21

Roadbase materials

9
10

19

7. Cement and Lime-Stabilised Materials

7.5

Lime stabilisation

27

30

Page
7.5.1

Properties of lime-stabilised
materials

30

Types of lime

30

7.5.3 Selection of lime content

30

7.5.2

7.6 Pozzolans

30

7.7 Construction

31

7.7.1

General methodology

31

7.7.2

Control of shrinkage and

reflection cracks

32

Carbonation

32

Page
10. Structure Catalogue

50

11. References

61

12. Bibliography

64

Appendix A

Applicable British Standards

65

Appendix B

Estimating Subgrade
Moisture Content
for Category 1 Conditions

67

TRL Dynamic Cone

Penetrometer

68

Refusal Density Design

72

Appendix C
Appendix D
7.7.3
7.8

Quality control

8. Bitumen-Bound Materials

1.

Introduction

72

2.

Extended Marshall compaction

72

3.

Extended vibrating hammer compaction

72

3.1

Laboratory design procedure

72

3.2

Transfer of laboratory design

to compaction trials

73

33
34

8.1

Components of mix

34

8.2

Bituminous surfacings

34

8.3

Types of premix in common use

35

8.3.1

Asphaltic concrete

35

8.3.2

Bitumen macadam

38

8.3.3

Rolled asphalt

38

8.3.4

Flexible bituminous surfacing

38

8.3.5

Design to refusal density

38

4.

Possible problems with the

test procedures

Appendix E

8.4

8.5

Bituminous roadbases

40

8.4.1

Principal mix types

40

8.4.2

Sand-bitumen mixes

42

Manufacture and construction

42

9. Surface Treatments

44

9.1

Prime and tack coats

44

9.2

Surface dressing

44

9.2.1

9.3

Single and double

surface dressing

44

9.2.2

Type of surface

44

9.2.3

Traffic categories

45

9.2.4

Chippings

45

9.2.5

Binder

46

Slurry seals

46

The Probe Penetration Test

73
74

1.

General description

74

2.

Method of operation

74

A GUIDE TO THE STRUCTURAL DESIGN OF BITUMENSURFACED ROADS IN TROPICAL AND SUB-TROPICAL

COUNTRIES
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 GENERAL
This Road Note gives recommendations for the structural design
of bituminous surfaced roads in tropical and subtropical climates
It is aimed at highway engineers responsible for the design and
construction of new road pavements and is appropriate for roads
which are required to carry up to 30 million cumulative
equivalent standard axles in one direction. The design of
strengthening overlays is not covered nor is the design of earth,
gravel or concrete roads. Although this Note is appropriate for
the structural design of flexible roads in urban areas, some of
the special requirements of urban roads, such as the
consideration of kerbing, sub-soil drainage, skid resistance, etc ,
are not covered.
For the structural design of more heavily trafficked roads, the
recommendations of this Note may be supplemented by those
given in the guides for the design of bituminous pavements in
the. United Kingdom (Powell et al (1984)) but these are likely to
require some form of calibration or adaptation to take account
of the conditions encountered in the tropics.

1.2 ROAD DETERIORATION

The purpose of structural design is to limit the stresses induced
in the subgrade by traffic to a safe level at which subgrade
deformation is insignificant whilst at the same time ensuring
that the road pavement layers themselves do not deteriorate to
any serious extent within a specified period of time.
By the nature of the materials used for construction, it is
impossible to design a road pavement which does not
deteriorate in some way with time and traffic, hence the aim of
structural design is to limit the level of pavement distress,
measured primarily in terms of riding quality, rut depth and
cracking, to predetermined values. Generally these values are
set so that a suitable remedial treatment at the end of the design
period is a strengthening overlay of some kind but this is not
necessarily so and roads can, in principle, be designed to reach
a terminal condition at which mayor rehabilitation or even
complete reconstruction is necessary. However, assessing
appropriate remedial treatments for roads which have
deteriorated beyond a certain level is a difficult task. In most
design methods it is assumed that adequate routine and
periodic maintenance is carved out during the design period of
the road and that at the end of the design period a relatively low
level of deterioration has occurred

Acceptable levels of surface condition have usually been based

on the expectations of road users. These expectations have
been found to depend upon the class of road and the volume of
traffic such that the higher the geometric standard, and
therefore the higher the vehicle speeds, the lower the level of
pavement distress which is acceptable. In defining these levels,
economic considerations were not considered because there
was insufficient knowledge of the cost trade-offs for an
economic analysis to be carved out with sufficient accuracy.

1.3 ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS

In recent years a number of important empirical studies have
shown how the costs of operating vehicles depend on the
surface condition of the road. The studies have also improved
our knowledge of how the deterioration of roads depends on
the nature of the traffic, the properties of the road-making
materials, the environment, and the maintenance strategy
adopted (Parsley and Robinson (1982), Paterson (1987),
Chesher and Harrison (1987), Watanatada et al (1987)). In
some circumstances it is now possible to design a road in such
a way that provided maintenance and strengthening can be
carried out at the proper time, the total cost of the transport
facility i e the sum of construction costs, maintenance costs and
road user costs, can be minimised. These techniques are
expected to become more widespread in the future. Also, with
the introduction in many countries of pavement management
systems in which road condition is monitored on a regular
basis, additional information will be collected to allow road
performance models to be refined. Pavement structural design
could then become an integral part of the management system
in which design could be modified according to the expected
maintenance inputs in such a way that the most economic
strategies could be adopted. Whilst these refinements lie in the
future, the research has provided important guidance on
structural designs suitable for tropical and sub-tropical
environments and has been used, in part, in preparing this
edition of Road Note 31.
For the structures recommended in this Note, the level of
deterioration that is reached by the end of the design period
has been restricted to levels that experience has shown give
rise to acceptable economic designs under a wide range of
conditions. It has been assumed that routine and periodic
maintenance activities are carried out to a reasonable, though
not excessive, level In particular, it has been assumed that
periodic maintenance is done whenever the area of road
surface experiencing defects i e cracking, ravelling, etc ,
exceeds 15 per cent. For example, for a 10 year design period,
one surface maintenance treatment is likely to be required for

the higher traffic levels whereas for a 15 year design period, one
treatment is likely to be required for the lower traffic levels and
two for the higher. These are broad guidelines only and the
exact requirements will depend on local conditions.

1.4 EFFECTS OF CLIMATE

Research has shown how different types of road deteriorate and
has demonstrated that some of the most common modes of
failure in the tropics are often different from those encountered in
temperate regions. In particular, climate related deterioration
sometimes dominates performance and the research has
emphasised the overriding importance of the design of
bituminous surfacing materials to minimise this type of
deterioration (Paterson (1987), Smith et al (1990), Strauss et al
(1984)). This topic is dealt with in Chapter 8.
Climate also affects the nature of the soils and rocks
encountered in the tropics Soil-forming processes are still very
active and the surface rocks are often deeply weathered. The
soils themselves often display extreme or unusual properties
which can pose considerable problems for road designers. The
recent publication 'Road building in the tropics materials and
methods' provides an introduction to these topics (Millard
(1993)).

1.5 VARIABILITY IN MATERIAL

PROPERTIES AND ROAD
PERFORMANCE
Variability in material properties and construction control is
generally much greater than desired by the design engineer and
must be taken into account explicitly in the design process. Only
a very small percentage of the area of the surface of a road
needs to show distress for the road to be considered
unacceptable by road users. It is therefore the weakest parts of
the road or the extreme tail of the statistical distribution of
'strength' which is important in design. In well controlled full-scale
experiments this variability is such that the ten per cent of the
road which performs best will carry about six times more traffic
before reaching a defined terminal condition than the ten per
cent which performs least well. Under normal construction
conditions this spread of performance becomes even greater.
Some of this variability can be explained through the measured
variability of those factors known to affect performance.
Therefore, if the likely variability is known beforehand, it is
possible, in principle, for it to be taken into account in design. It is
false economy to minimise the extent of preliminary.
investigations to determine this variability.
In practice it is usually only the variability of subgrade strength
that is considered and all other factors are controlled by means of
specifications i e by setting minimum acceptable values for the
key properties. But specifications need to be based on easily
measurable attributes of the materials and these may not
correlate well with the fundamental mechanical properties on
which behaviour depends. As a result, even when the variability
of subgrade strength and pavement material properties.

are taken into account, there often remains a considerable

variation in performance between nominally identical pavements
which cannot be fully explained. Optimum design therefore
remains partly dependent on knowledge of the performance of
in-service roads and quantification of the variability of the
observed performance itself. Thus there is always likely to be
scope for improving designs based on local experience.
Nevertheless, it is the task of the designer to estimate likely
variations in layer thicknesses and material strengths so that
realistic target values and tolerances can be set in the
specifications to ensure that satisfactory road performance can
be guaranteed as far as is possible.
The thickness and strength values described in this Road Note
are essentially minimum values but practical considerations
require that they are interpreted as lower ten percentile values
with 90 per cent of all test results exceeding the values quoted.
The random nature of variations in thickness and strength which
occur when each layer is constructed should ensure that minor
deficiencies in thickness or strength do not occur one on top of
the other, or very rarely so. The importance of good practice in
quarrying, material handling and stock-piling to ensure this
randomness and also to minimise variations themselves cannot
be over emphasised.

1.6 UNCERTAINTY IN TRAFFIC

FORECASTS
Pavement design also depends on the expected level of traffic.
Axle load studies and traffic counts are essential prerequisites
for successful design but traffic forecasting remains a difficult
task and therefore sensitivity and risk analysis are
recommended. This topic is discussed in Chapter 2.

1.7 BASIS FOR THE DESIGN

CATALOGUE
The pavement designs incorporated into the fourth
edition of Road Note 31 are based primarily on:
(a) The results of full-scale experiments where all factors
affecting performance have been accurately measured
and their variability quantified.
(b) Studies of the performance of as-built existing road
networks.
Where direct empirical evidence is lacking, designs have been
interpolated or extrapolated from empirical studies using road
performance models (Parsley and Robinson (1982), Paterson
(1987), Rolt et al (1987)) and standard analytical, mechanistic
methods e.g Gerritsen and Koole (1987), Powell et al (1984),
Brunton et al (1987).
In view of the statistical nature of pavement design caused by
the large uncertainties in traffic forecasting and the variability in
material properties, climate and road behaviour, the design
charts have been presented as a

catalogue of structures, each structure being applicable over a

small range of traffic and subgrade strength. Such a procedure
makes the charts extremely easy to use but it is important that
the reader is thoroughly conversant with the notes applicable to
each chart
Throughout the text the component layers of a flexible
pavement are referred to in the following terms (see Figure
1).
Surfacing. This is the uppermost layer of the pavement and will
normally consist of a bituminous surface dressing or a layer of
premixed bituminous material. Where premixed materials are
laid in two layers, these are known as the wearing course and
the basecourse (or binder course) as shown in Figure 1.
Roadbase. This is the main load-spreading layer of the
pavement. It will normally consist of crushed stone or gravel, or
of gravelly soils, decomposed rock, sands and sand-clays
stabilised with cement, lime or bitumen.
Sub-base. This is the secondary load-spreading layer
underlying the roadbase. It will normally consist of a material of
lower quality than that used in the roadbase such as
unprocessed natural gravel, gravel-sand, or gravel-sand-clay.
This layer also serves as a separating layer preventing
contamination of the roadbase by the subgrade material and,
under wet conditions, it has an important role to play in
protecting the subgrade from damage by construction traffic.

This Note considers each of these steps in turn and puts

special emphasis on five aspects of design that are of major
significance in designing roads in most tropical countries:

The influence of tropical climates on moisture conditions

in road subgrades.

The severe conditions imposed on exposed bituminous

surfacing materials by tropical climates and the
implications of this for the design of such surfacings.

The interrelationship between design and maintenance.

If an appropriate level of maintenance cannot be
assumed. it is not possible to produce designs that will
carry the anticipated traffic loading without high costs to
vehicle operators through increased road deterioration.

The high axle loads and tyre pressures which are

common in most countries.

The influence of tropical climates on the nature of the

soils and rocks used in road building.

The overall process of designing a road is illustrated in Figure 2.

Some of the information necessary to carry out the tasks may be
available from elsewhere e.g a feasibility study or Ministry
records, but all existing data will need to be checked carefully to
ensure that it is both up-to-date and accurate. Likely problem
areas are highlighted in the relevant chapters of this Note.

Capping layer (selected or improved subgrade).

Where very weak soils are encountered, a capping layer is
sometimes necessary. This may consist of better quality
subgrade material imported from elsewhere or existing
subgrade material improved by mechanical or chemical
stabilisation.
Subgrade. This is the upper layer of the natural soil which may
be undisturbed local material or may be soil excavated
elsewhere and placed as fill. In either case it is compacted
during construction to give added strength.

1.8 THE DESIGN PROCESS

There are three main steps to be followed in designing a new
road pavement These are:
(i)

estimating the amount of traffic and the cumulative

number of equivalent standard axles that will use the
road over the selected design life;

(ii)

assessing the strength of the subgrade soil over

which the road is to be built;

(iii) selecting the most economical combination of

pavement materials and layer thicknesses that will
provide satisfactory service over the design life of the
pavement (It is usually necessary to assume that an
appropriate level of maintenance is also carried out).

Fig. 1 Definition of pavement layers

Fig. 2 The pavement design process

2.

TRAFFIC

2.2

ESTIMATING TRAFFIC FLOWS

The deterioration of paved roads caused by traffic results from

both the magnitude of the individual wheel loads and the number
of times these loads are applied. For pavement design purposes
it is necessary to consider not only the total number of vehicles
that will use the road but also the wheel loads (or, for
convenience, the axle loads) of these vehicles. The loads
imposed by private cars do not contribute significantly to the
structural damage. For the purposes of structural design, cars
and similar sized vehicles can be ignored and only the total
number and the axle loading of the heavy vehicles that will use
the road during its design life need to be considered In this
context, heavy vehicles are defined as those having an unladen
weight of 3000 kg or more. In some circumstances, particularly
for lightly trafficked roads, construction traffic can be a significant
component of overall traffic loading and the designs should take
this into account.

2.2.1 Baseline traffic flows

2.1 DESIGN LIFE

Traffic counts carried out over a short period as a basis for

estimating the traffic flow can produce estimates which are
subject to large errors because traffic flows can have large daily,
weekly, monthly and seasonal variations (Howe (1972)). The
daily variability in traffic flow depends on the volume of traffic. It
increases as traffic levels fall, with high variability on roads
carrying less than 1000 vehicles per day. Traffic flows vary more
from day-to-day than from week-to-week over the year. Thus
there are large errors associated with estimating average daily
traffic flows (and subsequently annual traffic flows) from traffic
counts of only a few days duration, or excluding the weekend.
For the same reason there is a rapid decrease in the likely error
as the duration of the counting period increases up to one week.
For counts of longer duration, improvements in accuracy are
less pronounced. Traffic flows also vary from month-to-month so
that a weekly traffic count repeated at intervals during the year
provides a better base for estimating the annual volume of traffic
than a continuous traffic count of the same duration Traffic also
varies considerably through a 24-hour period and this needs to
be taken into account explicitly as outlined below.

For most road projects an economic analysis period of between

10 and 20 years from the date of opening is appropriate, but for
major projects this period should be tested as part of the
appraisal process (Overseas Road Note 5, Transport and Road
Research Laboratory (1988)). Whatever time period is chosen
for the appraisal of a project, the road will always have some
residual value at the end of this period. Choosing a pavement
design life that is the same as the analysis period simplifies the
economic appraisal by minimising the residual value, which is
normally difficult to estimate accurately. A pavement design life
of 15 years also reduces the problem of forecasting uncertain
traffic trends for long periods into the future.
In this context, design life does not mean that at the end of the
period the pavement will be completely worn out and in need of
reconstruction; it means that towards the end of the period the
pavement will need to be strengthened so that it can continue to
carry traffic satisfactorily for a further period. Condition surveys
of bituminous pavements should be carried out about once a
year as part of the inspection procedures for maintenance.
These are used to determine not only the maintenance
requirements but also the nature and rate of change of condition
to help to identify if and when the pavement is likely to need
strengthening.
Stage construction consists of planned improvements to the
pavement structure at fixed times through the project life. From
a purely economic point of view, stage construction policies
have much to commend them. However, experience has shown
that budget constraints have often prevented the planned
upgrading phases of stage construction projects from taking
place, with the result that much of the benefit from such projects
has been lost in general, stage construction policies are not
recommended if there is any risk that maintenance and
upgrading will not be carved out correctly or at the appropriate
time.

In order to determine the total traffic over the design life of the
road, the first step is to estimate baseline traffic flows. The
estimate should be the (Annual) Average Daily Traffic (ADT)
currently using the route, classified into the vehicle categories of
cars, light goods vehicles, trucks (heavy goods vehicles) and
buses. The ADT is defined as the total annual traffic summed for
both directions and divided by 365. It is usually obtained by
recording actual traffic flows over a shorter period from which
the ADT is then estimated. For long projects, large differences in
traffic along the road may make it necessary to estimate the flow
at several locations.. It should be noted that for structural design
purposes the traffic loading in one direction is required and for
this reason care is always required when interpreting ADT
figures.

In order to reduce error, it is recommended that traffic counts

to establish ADT at a specific site conform to the following
practice:
(i)

The counts are for seven consecutive days.

(ii)

The counts on some of the days are for a full 24 hours,

with preferably at least one 24-hour count on a weekday
and one during a weekend. On the other days 16-hour
counts should be sufficient. These should be grossed up
to 24-hour values in the same proportion as the 16hour/24-hour split on those days when full 24-hour
counts have been undertaken.

(iii) Counts are avoided at times when travel activity is

abnormal for short periods due to the payment of

wages and salaries, public holidays, etc If abnormal

traffic flows persist for extended periods, for example
during harvest times, additional counts need to be
made to ensure this traffic is properly included.
(iv)

If possible, the seven-day counts should be repeated several times throughout the year.

Country-wide traffic data should be collected on a systematic

basis to enable seasonal trends in traffic flows to be quantified.
Unfortunately, many of the counts that are available are
unreliable, especially if they have been carried out manually.
Therefore, where seasonal adjustment factors are applied to
traffic survey data in order to improve the accuracy of baseline
traffic figures, the quality of the statistics on which they are
based should be checked in the field.
Classified traffic counts are normally obtained by counting
manually. These counts can be supplemented by automatic
counters which use either a pneumatic tube laid across the
surface of the carriageway or a wire loop fixed to the
carriageway surface or, preferably, buried just beneath it.
Pneumatic tubes require regular maintenance and can be
subject to vandalism. Buried loops are preferred, but installing a
loop beneath the road surface is more difficult and more
expensive than using a pneumatic tube.
In their basic form, automatic counters do not distinguish
between different types of vehicle and so cannot provide a
classified count. Modern detector systems are now available
which can perform classified vehicle counting, but such
systems are expensive and not yet considered to be sufficiently
robust for most developing country applications. An exception
is the counter system developed specifically for developing
countries by the Transport Research Laboratory.

Normal traffic. The commonest method of forecasting normal

traffic is to extrapolate time series data on traffic levels and
assume that growth will either remain constant in absolute terms
i.e. a fixed number of vehicles per year (a linear extrapolation),
or constant in relative terms i.e. a fixed percentage increase.
Data on fuel sales can often be used as a guide to country-wide
growth in traffic levels, although improvements in fuel economy
over time should be taken into account. As a general rule it is
only safe to extrapolate forward for as many years as reliable
traffic data exist from the past, and for as many years as the
same general economic conditions are expected to continue.
As an alternative to time, growth can be related linearly to
anticipated Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This is normally
preferable since it explicitly takes into account changes in overall
economic activity, but it has the disadvantage that a forecast of
GDP is needed. The use of additional variables, such as
population or fuel price, brings with it the same problem If GDP
forecasts are not available, then future traffic growth should be
based on time series data.
If it is thought that a particular component of the traffic will grow
at a different rate to the rest, it should be specifically identified
and dealt with separately. For example, there may be a plan to
expand a local town or open a local factory during the design life
of the road, either of which could lead to different growth rates
for different types of vehicle, or there may be a plan to allow
larger freight vehicles on the road, in which case the growth rate
for trucks may be relatively low because each truck is heavier.
Whatever the forecasting procedure used, it is essential to
consider the realism of forecast future levels. Few developing
countries are likely to sustain the high rates of growth
experienced in the past, even in the short term, and factors such
as higher fuel costs and vehicle import restrictions could tend to
depress future growth rates.

2.2.2 Traffic forecasting

Even with a developed economy and stable economic
conditions, traffic forecasting is an uncertain process. In a
developing economy the problem becomes more difficult
because such economies are often very sensitive to the world
prices of just one or two commodities.
In order to forecast traffic growth it is necessary to
separate traffic into the following three categories:
(a) Normal traffic. Traffic which would pass along the existing
road or track even if no new pavement were provided.
(b) Diverted traffic. Traffic that changes from another route (or
mode of transport) to the project road because of the
improved pavement, but still travels between the same
origin and destination.
(c) Generated traffic. Additional traffic which occurs in
response to the provision or improvement of the road.

Diverted traffic. Where parallel routes exist, traffic will usually

travel on the quickest or cheapest route although this may not
necessarily be the shortest. Thus, surfacing an existing road
may divert traffic from a parallel and shorter route because
higher speeds are possible on the surfaced road. Origin and
destination surveys should be carried out to provide data on the
traffic diversions likely to arise. Assignment of diverted traffic is
normally done by an all-or-nothing method in which it is
assumed that all vehicles that would save time or money by
diverting would do so, and that vehicles that would lose time or
increase costs would not transfer. With such a method it is
important that all perceived costs are included. In some of the
more developed countries there may be scope for modelling
different scenarios using standard assignment computer
programs.
Diversion from other transport modes, such as rail or water, is
not easy to forecast. Transport of bulk commodities will normally
be by the cheapest mode, though this may not be the quickest.
However, quality of service, speed and convenience are valued
by intending

consignors and, for general goods, diversion from other

modes should not be estimated solely on the basis of door-todoor transport charges. Similarly, the choice of mode for
passenger transport should not be judged purely on the basis
of travel charges. The importance attached to quality of
service by users has been a major contributory factor to the
worldwide decline in rail transport over recent years.
Diverted traffic is normally forecast to grow at the same rate
as traffic on the road from which it diverted.
Generated traffic. Generated traffic arises either because a
journey becomes more attractive by virtue of a cost or time
reduction or because of the increased development that is
brought about by the road investment. Generated traffic is
difficult to forecast accurately and can be easily overestimated It
is only likely to be significant in those cases where the road
investment brings about large reductions in transport costs. For
example, in the case of a small improvement within an already
developed highway system, generated traffic will be small and
can normally be ignored. However, in the case of a new road
allowing access to a hitherto undeveloped area, there could be
large reductions in transport costs as a result of changing mode
from, for example, animal-based transport to motor vehicle
transport. In such a case, generated traffic could be the main
component of future traffic flow.
The recommended approach to forecasting generated traffic is
to use demand relationships. The price elasticity of demand for
transport is the responsiveness of traffic to a change in transport
costs following a road investment. On inter-urban roads a
distinction is normally drawn between passenger and freight
traffic. On roads providing access to rural areas, a further
distinction is usually made between agricultural and nonagricultural freight traffic.
Evidence from several evaluation studies carried out in
developing countries gives a range of between -0 6 to -2.0 for
the price elasticity of demand for transport, with an average of
about -1 0. This means that a one per cent decrease in transport
costs leads to a one per cent increase in traffic. Calculations
should be based on door-to-door travel costs estimated as a
result of origin and destination surveys and not lust on that part
of the trip incurred on the road under study.
The available evidence suggests that the elasticity of demand
for passenger travel is usually slightly greater than unity In
general, the elasticity of demand for goods is much lower and
depends on the proportion of transport costs in the commodity
price.

2.3

AXLE LOADING

2.3.1

Axle equivalency

The damage that vehicles do to a road depends very strongly on

the axle loads of the vehicles. For pavement design purposes
the damaging power of axles is related to a 'standard' axle of
8.16 tonnes using equivalence factors which have been derived
from empirical studies

(Highway Research Board (1962), Paterson (1987)). In order to

determine the cumulative axle load damage that a pavement
will sustain during its design life, it is necessary to express the
total number of heavy vehicles that will use the road over this
period in terms of the cumulative number of equivalent
standard axles (esa).
Axle load surveys must be carried out to determine the axle load
distribution of a sample of the heavy vehicles using the road.
Data collected from these surveys are used to calculate the
mean number of equivalent standard axles for a typical vehicle
in each class. These values are then used in conjunction with
traffic forecasts to determine the predicted cumulative
equivalent standard axles that the road will carry over its design
life.

2.3.2 Axle load surveys

If no recent axle load data are available it is recommended that
axle load surveys of heavy vehicles are undertaken whenever a
major road project is being designed. Ideally, several surveys at
periods which will reflect seasonal changes in the magnitude of
axle loads are recommended. Portable vehicle-wheel weighing
devices are available which enable a small team to weigh up to
90 vehicles per hour. Detailed guidance on carrying out axle
load surveys and analysing the results is given in TRRL Road
Note 40 (Transport and Road Research Laboratory (1978)).
It is recommended that axle load surveys are carried out by
weighing a sample of vehicles at the roadside. The sample
should be chosen such that a maximum of about 60 vehicles
per hour are weighed. The weighing site should be level and, if
possible, constructed in such a way that vehicles are pulled
clear of the road when being weighed. The portable weighbridge
should be mounted in a small pit with its surface level with the
surrounding area. This ensures that all of the wheels of the
vehicle being weighed are level and eliminates the errors which
can be introduced by even a small twist or tilt of the vehicle.
More importantly, it also eliminates the large errors that can
occur if all the wheels on one side of multiple axle groups are
not kept in the same horizontal plane. The load distribution
between axles in multiple axle groups is often uneven and
therefore each axle must be weighed separately. The duration
of the survey should be based on the same considerations as
for traffic counting outlined in Section 2 2 1.
On certain roads it may be necessary to consider whether the
axle load distribution of the traffic travelling in one direction is
the same as that of the traffic travelling in the opposite direction.
Significant differences between the two streams can occur on
roads serving docks, quarries, cement works, etc , where the
vehicles travelling one way are heavily loaded but are empty on
the return journey. In such cases the results from the more
heavily trafficked lane should be used when converting
commercial vehicle flows to the equivalent number of standard
axles for pavement design. Similarly, special allowance must be
made for unusual axle loads on roads which mainly serve one
specific economic activity, since this can result in a particular
vehicle type being predomi-

nant in the traffic spectrum This is often the case, for example,
in timber extraction areas, mining areas and oil fields.

2.3.3 Determination of cumulative

equivalent standard axles
Computer programs have been written to assist with the
analysis of the results from axle load surveys. These programs
provide a detailed tabulation of the survey results and
determine the mean equivalence factors for each vehicle type
if required. If such a program is not available, standard
spreadsheet programs can be used.
If there are no computer facilities available the following method
of analysis is recommended. The equivalence factors for each
of the wheel loads measured during the axle load survey are
determined using Table 2.1 or the accompanying equation to
obtain the equivalence factors for vehicle axles. The factors for
the axles are totalled to give the equivalence factor for each of
the vehicles. For vehicles with multiple axles i e. tandems,
triples etc., each axle in the multiple group is considered
separately.

In order to determine the cumulative equivalent standard axles

over the design life of the road, the following procedure should
be followed:
(i)

Determine the daily traffic flow for each class of vehicle

weighed using the results of the traffic survey and any
other recent traffic count information that is available.

(ii)

Determine the average daily one-directional traffic

flow for each class of vehicle.

(iii) Make a forecast of the one-directional traffic flow for

each class of vehicle to determine the total traffic in each
class that will travel over each lane during the design life
(see Section 2.2.2).
(iv) Determine the mean equivalence factor of each class of
vehicle and for each direction from the results of this
axle load survey and any other surveys that have
recently been carried out.
(v)

The mean equivalence factor for each type or class of vehicle

travelling in each direction must then be determined. Vehicle
classes are usually defined by the number and type of axles.
Note that this method of determining the mean equivalence
factors must always be used; calculating the equivalence factor
for the average axle load is incorrect and leads to large errors.

TABLE 2.1

The products of the cumulative one-directional traffic

flows for each class of vehicle over the design life of the
road and the mean equivalence factor for that class
should then be calculated and added together to give the
cumulative equivalent standard axle loading for each
direction. The higher of the two directional values should
be used for design.

In most countries the axle load distribution of the total

population of heavy vehicles using the road system remains
roughly constant from year to year although there may be longterm trends resulting from the introduction of new types of
vehicles or changes in vehicle regulations and their
enforcement. It is therefore customary to assume that the axle
load distribution of the heavy vehicles will remain unchanged
for the design life of the pavement and that it can be
determined by undertaking surveys of vehicle axle loads on
existing roads of the same type and which serve the same
function. In most developing countries the probable errors in
these assumptions for a design life of 15 years are unlikely to
result in a significant error in design.

carried out to ensure that the choice of traffic class is

appropriate. Formal risk analysis can also be used to
evaluate the design choices as described briefly and
referenced in Overseas Road Note 5 (Transport and Road
Research Laboratory (1988)).

TABLE 2.2

On dual carriageway roads and on single carriageway roads

with more than two lanes, it should be assumed that the slow
traffic lanes will carry all the heavy vehicles unless local
experience indicates otherwise or the traffic flow exceeds about
2000 heavy vehicles per day in each direction. In the latter
case, a proportion of heavy vehicles should be assigned to the
slow lane according to the principles outlined in Overseas Road
Note No. 6 (Transport and Road Research Laboratory (1988)).
The design thickness required for the slow lane is usually
applied to the whole carriageway width but there may be
situations where a tapered roadbase or sub-base is appropriate.
In some countries, single-lane bituminous roads are built to
economise on construction costs. On such roads the traffic
tends to be more channelised than on two-lane roads. The
effective traffic loading in the wheelpath in one direction has
been shown to be twice that for a wider road. Therefore, taking
into account the traffic in both directions, the pavement
thickness for these roads should be based on four times the
total number of heavy vehicles that travel in one direction.

2.4 ACCURACY
All survey data are subject to errors. Traffic data, in particular,
can be very inaccurate and predictions about traffic growth are
also prone to large errors. Accurate calculations of cumulative
traffic are therefore very difficult to make. To minimise these
errors there is no substitute for carrying out specific traffic
surveys for each project for the durations suggested in Section
2.2.1. Additional errors are introduced in the calculation of
cumulative standard axles because any small errors in
measuring axle loads are amplified by the fourth power law
relationship between the two.
Fortunately, pavement thickness design is relatively insensitive
to cumulative axle load and the method recommended in this.
Note provides fixed structures for ranges of traffic as shown in
Table 2.2. As long as the estimate of cumulative equivalent
standard axles is close to the centre of one of the ranges, any
errors are unlikely to affect the choice of pavement design
However, if estimates of cumulative traffic are close to the
boundaries of the traffic ranges then the basic traffic data and
forecasts should be re-evaluated and sensitivity analyses

3. THE SUBGRADE
The type of subgrade sod is largely determined by the location
of the road, but where the soils within the possible corridor for
the road vary significantly in strength from place to place, it is
clearly desirable to locate the pavement on the stronger soils if
this does not conflict with other constraints.
The strength of road subgrades is commonly assessed in terms
of the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) and this is dependent on
the type of soil, its density, and its moisture content.
For designing the thickness of a road pavement, the strength of
the subgrade should be taken as that of the soil at a moisture
content equal to the wettest moisture condition likely to occur in
the subgrade after the road is opened to traffic. In the tropics,
subgrade moisture conditions under impermeable road
pavements can be classified into three main categories:
Category (1). Subgrades where the water table is sufficiently
close to the ground surface to control the subgrade moisture
content.
The type of subgrade soil governs the depth below the road
surface at which a water table becomes the dominant influence
on the subgrade moisture content. For example, in non-plastic
soils the water table will dominate the subgrade moisture content
when it rises to within 1 m of the road surface, in sandy clays
(PI<20 per cent) the water table will dominate when it rises to
within 3m of the road surface, and in heavy clays (PI>40 per
cent) the water table will dominate when it rises to within 7m of
the road surface.
In addition to areas where the water table is maintained by
rainfall, this category includes coastal strips and flood plains
where the water table is maintained by the sea, by a lake or by
a river.
Category (2). Subgrades with deep water tables and where
rainfall is sufficient to produce significant changes in moisture
conditions under the road.
These conditions occur when rainfall exceeds
evapotranspiration for at least two months of the year. The
rainfall in such areas is usually greater than 250 mm per year
and is often seasonal.
Category (3). Subgrades in areas with no permanent water
table near the ground surface and where the climate is dry
throughout most of the year with an annual rainfall of 250 mm
or less.
Direct assessment of the likely strength or CBR of the subgrade
soil is often difficult to make but its value can be inferred from
an estimate of the density and equilibrium (or ultimate) moisture
content of the subgrade together with knowledge of the
relationship between strength, density and moisture content for
the soil in question. This relationship must be determined in the

10

Laboratory. The density of the subgrade soil can be controlled

within limits by compaction at a suitable moisture content at the
time of construction. The moisture content of the subgrade soil
is governed by the local climate and the depth of the water
table below the road surface. In most circumstances, the first
task is therefore to estimate the equilibrium moisture content as
outlined in Section 3 1 below. A method of direct assessment of
the subgrade strength, where this is possible, is discussed in
Section 3 2 together with less precise methods of estimation
which can be used if facilities for carrying out the full procedure
are not available.

3.1

ESTIMATING THE SUBGRADE

MOISTURE CONTENT

Category (7). The easiest method of estimating the design

subgrade moisture content is to measure the moisture content in
subgrades below existing pavements in similar situations at the
time of the year when the water table is at its highest level.
These pavements should be greater than 3m wide and more
than two years old and samples should preferably be taken from
under the carriageway about 0.5m from the edge. Allowance can
be made for different soil types by virtue of the fact that the ratio
of subgrade moisture content to plastic limit is the same for
different subgrade soils when the water table and climatic
conditions are similar. If there is no suitable road in the vicinity,
the moisture content in the subgrade under an impermeable
pavement can be estimated from a knowledge of the depth of
the water table and the relationship between suction and
moisture content for the subgrade soil (Russam and Croney
(1960)). The test apparatus required for determining this
relationship is straightforward and the method is described in
Appendix B.
Category (2). When the water table is not near the ground
surface, the subgrade moisture condition under an
impermeable pavement will depend on the balance between
the water entering the subgrade through the shoulders and at
the edges of the pavement during wet weather and the
moisture leaving the ground by evapotranspiration during dry
periods. Where the average annual rainfall is greater than 250
mm a year, the moisture condition for design purposes can be
taken as the optimum moisture content given by the British
Standard (Light) Compaction Test, 2.5 kg rammer method.
When deciding on the depth of the water table in Category (1)
or Category (2) subgrades, the possibility of the existence of
local perched water tables should be borne in mind and the
effects of seasonal flooding (where this occurs) should not be
overlooked.
Category (3). In regions where the climate is dry throughout
most of the year (annual rainfall 250 mm or less), the moisture
content of the subgrade under an impermeable pavement will
be low. For design purposes a value of 80 per cent of the
optimum moisture content obtained in the British Standard
(Light) Compaction Test, 2.5 kg rammer method, should be
used.

The methods of estimating the subgrade moisture content for

design outlined above are based on the assumption that the
road pavement is virtually impermeable. Dense bitumen-bound
materials, stabilised soils with only very fine cracks, and
crushed stone or gravel with more than 15 per cent of material
finer than the 75 micron sieve are themselves impermeable
(permeability less than 10-7 metres per second) and therefore
subgrades under road pavements incorporating these materials
are unlikely to be influenced by water infiltrating directly from
above. However, if water, shed from the road surface or from
elsewhere, is able to penetrate to the subgrade for any reason,
the subgrade may become much wetter. In such cases the
strength of subgrades with moisture conditions in Category (1)
and Category (2) should be assessed on the basis of saturated
CBR samples as described in Section 3.2. Subgrades with
moisture conditions in Category (3) are unlikely to wet up
significantly and the subgrade moisture content for design in
such situations can be taken as the optimum moisture content
given by the British Standard (Light) Compaction Test, 2 5 kg
rammer method.

3.2

DETERMINING THE SUBGRADE

STRENGTH

Having estimated the subgrade moisture content for design, it is

then possible to determine the appropriate design CBR value at
the specified density. It is recommended that the top 250 mm of
all subgrades should be compacted during construction to a
relative density of at least 100 per cent of the maximum dry
density achieved in the British Standard (Light) Compaction
Test, 2 5 kg rammer method, or at least 93 per cent of the
maximum dry density achieved in the British Standard (Heavy)
Compaction Test using the 4.5 kg rammer. With modern
compaction plant a relative density of 95 per cent of the density
obtained in the heavier compaction test should be achieved
without difficulty but tighter control of the moisture content will be
necessary. Compaction will not only improve the subgrade
bearing strength but will reduce permeability and subsequent
compaction by traffic.
As a first step it is necessary to determine the compaction
properties of the subgrade soil by carrying out standard
laboratory compaction tests. Samples of the subgrade soil at the
design subgrade moisture content can then be compacted in
CBR moulds to the specified density and tested to determine the
CBR values.
With cohesionless sands, the rammer method tends to
overestimate the optimum moisture content and underestimate
the dry density achieved by normal field equipment. The vibrating
hammer method is more appropriate for these materials.
If samples of cohesive soils are compacted at moisture contents
equal to or greater than the optimum moisture content, they
should be left sealed for 24 hours before being tested so that
excess pore water pressures induced during compaction are
dissipated.

Alternatively, a more complete picture of the relationship

between density, moisture content and CBR for the subgrade
soil can be obtained by measuring the CBR of samples
compacted at several moisture contents and at least two levels
of compaction. The design CBR is then obtained by
interpolation. This method is preferable since it enables an
estimate to be made of the subgrade CBR at different densities
and allows the effects of different levels of compaction control on
the structural design to be calculated. Figure 3 shows a typical
dry density/moisture content/CBR relationship for a sandy-clay
soil that was obtained by compacting samples at five moisture
contents to three levels of compaction: British Standard (Heavy)
Compaction, 4.5 kg rammer method, British Standard (Light)
Compaction, 2 5 kg rammer method, and an intermediate level
of compaction. By interpolation, a design subgrade CBR of
about 15 per cent is obtained if a relative density of 100 per cent
of the maximum dry density obtained in the British Standard
(Light) Compaction Test is specified and the subgrade moisture
content was estimated to be 20 per cent.
If saturated subgrade conditions are anticipated, the compacted
samples for the CBR test should be saturated by immersion in
water for four days before being tested. In all other cases when
CBR is determined by direct measurement, the CBR samples
should not be immersed since this results in over design.
In areas where existing roads have been built on the same
subgrade, direct measurements of the subgrade strengths
can be made using a dynamic cone penetrometer (Appendix
C).
Except for direct measurements of CBR under existing
pavements, in situ CBR measurements of subgrade soils are
not recommended because of the difficulty of ensuring that the
moisture and density conditions at the time of test are
representative of those expected under the completed
pavement.
Whichever method is used to obtain the subgrade strength,
each sample or each test will usually give different results and
these can sometimes cover a considerable range. For design
purposes it is important that the strength of the subgrade is not
seriously underestimated for large areas of pavement or
overestimated to such an extent that there is a risk of local
failures. The best compromise for design purposes is to use the
lower ten percentile value i.e. that value which is exceeded by
90 per cent of the readings. The simplest way to obtain this is to
draw a cumulative frequency distribution of strength as shown in
Figure 4. If the characteristics of the subgrade change
significantly over sections of the route, different subgrade
strength values for design should be calculated for each
nominally uniform section.
The structural catalogue requires that the subgrade strength for
design is assigned to one of six strength classes reflecting the
sensitivity of thickness design to subgrade strength. The
classes are defined in Table 3 1. For subgrades with CBR's
less than 2, special treatment is required which is not covered
in this Road Note.

11

TABLE 3.1

If equipment for carrying out laboratory compaction and CBR

tests is not available, a less precise estimate of the minimum
subgrade strength class can be obtained from Table 3 2. This
Table shows the estimated minimum strength class for five
types of subgrade soil for various depths of water table,
assuming that the subgrade is compacted to not less than 95
per cent of the maximum dry density attainable in the British
Standard (Light) Compaction Test, 2.5 kg rammer method. The
Table is appropriate for subgrade moisture Categories (1) and
(2) but can be used for Category (3) if conservative strength
estimates are acceptable.
The design subgrade strength class together with the traffic
class obtained in Chapter 2 are then used with the catalogue of
structures to determine the pavement layer thicknesses
(Chapter 10).

Fig.3 Dry density-moisture content-CBR relationships for sandy-clay soil

12

Fig.4 Distribution of subgrade strength

TABLE 3.2

13

4. EMBANKMENTS AND
CUTTINGS
4.1

EMBANKMENTS

4.1.1

Introduction and survey

Embankments and cuttings will be required to obtain a

satisfactory alignment on all but the lowest standard of road
Embankments will be needed (i) to raise the road above flood
water levels, (ii) in sidelong ground, (iii) across gullies and (iv) at
the approaches to water crossings. High embankments impose
a considerable load on the underlying soil and settlement should
always be expected. Some transported soils are particularly
susceptible, wind-blown sands and unconsolidated estuarine
soils being particular examples. Organic material decays quickly
above the water table and such soils are formed only in marshy
areas where decay below the water level proceeds slowly. The
residual soils that are widespread in the tropics are not usually
compressible and any settlement which does occur is likely to
be substantially complete by the time the embankment is
constructed. An exception to this is the halloysitic clays
developed from volcanic ash whose fragile structure can be
broken down causing collapse under embankment loads.
Potentially compressible soils should be identified at the survey
stage which precedes new construction.
During the survey it is also essential to look for evidence of
water flow across the line of the road, either on the surface or at
shallow depth. Temporary, perched water tables are common
within residual soils and may not be readily apparent in the dry
season. Drains must be installed to intercept ground water, and
culverts of suitable size must be provided to allow water to
cross the road alignment where necessary.
It is also important to identify any areas of potential ground
instability which might affect embankments. Particular care is
required in gullies, which themselves may be indicative of
weakness in the geological structure, but steep side-sloping
ground may also be suspect and evidence of past soil
movement should be sought.
Evidence of past (dormant) instability is revealed by a range of
slope features. On the surface, springs or patches of reeds or
sedges are a sign that the slope may become saturated during
the rainy season. Trees leaning at different angles (especially
upslope) are a sign of disturbance by ground movement.
However, it should be noted that trees leaning outwards
(downslope), all at a similar angle, are usually not so much a
sign of instability as a sign that the trees have grown at an angle
to seek light. The age of trees can indicate former movement if
they are all of a similar youthful age and there are no old trees
present, this suggests that regeneration has taken place
following a recent slide.
The shape of the ground itself is a good indicator of past
movement. The classic features of hummocky ground (irregular,
pocketed surface), cracks and small ponds are signs of a deepseated landslide mass. Another sign is

14

the presence on the slope of hollow bowl-shaped depressions

with a steep head, curved in plan, which may represent the
head area of old slips. They can be of any size, from a few tens
of metres across to several hundred metres.
Gullies that are active can put embankments at risk by bringing
down debris, blocking the culvert and damming up against the
embankment. An active gully carries a heavy load of material,
typically of mixed sizes including sand and fines. Stable gullies
generally contain only boulder and cobble sized material (the
smaller sizes wash away), and may bear vegetation more than
one year old in the gully floor. If the gully sides are being
undercut by the stream and loose sediment moving in the gully
floor, fresh debris will be brought into the gully, making the
situation downstream worse.
The slope below the road should be examined to ensure that it is
not being undercut by the stream at the base. If this is
happening, the whole embankment and road are at risk from
slope failure expanding upwards from below.
Evidence of slope instability is not easy to detect in trial pits
because soils on steep slopes are often disturbed by slow creep
under gravity, resulting in a jumbled soil profile. However, former
slope movement is sometimes indicated by ancient organic
horizons (buried soils) lying parallel to the present surface, or by
clayey horizons lying parallel to the surface, that represent old
sliding surfaces. Water often travels along these. The bedrock,
too, can indicate a danger of movement. Rocks whose bedding
lies parallel to the hillside, or dips out of the hillside, are prone to
failure along the bedding plane, as are rocks containing joint
surfaces (parallel planes of weakness) oriented this way. Weak,
weathered and highly fractured rocks all represent a hazard,
especially if the fissures are open, showing that the rock mass is
dilating under tension.
In steep side-sloping ground where the slope exceeds 1 in 6, it
is normal practice to cut horizontal benches into the slope to
simplify construction and to help key the embankment to the
slope. At the same time, internal drainage is usually installed to
remove sub-surface water from within the structure.
Problems with embankments are fortunately rare but when
they occur the consequences can be serious. It is therefore
important that all potential problems are identified during the
survey and recommendations made for more detailed
investigations where necessary. Such investigations are
expensive and need to be planned systematically, with
additional testing and expert advice being commissioned only
as required. An example of such an approach has been
described by NITRR (1987a).

4.1.2 Materials
Almost all types of soil, ranging from sandy clays through to
broken rock, can be used for embankment construction, the
main limitation being the ease with which the material can be
handled and compacted. The embank-

ment material will usually be obtained from borrow areas

adjacent to the road or hauled from nearby cuttings. Material of
low plasticity is preferred because such material will create fewer
problems in wet weather. With more plastic soils, greater care is
necessary to keep the surfaces shaped and compacted so that
rain water is shed quickly. If the embankment is higher than
about 6 metres, it is desirable to reserve material of low plasticity
for the lower layers.

4.1.3

Design

Side slopes for high embankments should normally be between

1 in 1.5 and 1 in 2 (vertical: horizontal) Variations from this slope
for local soils and climates are more reliably derived from local
experience than from theoretical calculations. Slacker slopes are
sometimes desirable for silty and clayey soils, especially in wet
climates. In all cases it is important to protect the side slopes
from the erosive action of rain and wind. Usually this should be
done by establishing a suitable cover of vegetation (Howell et al
(1991)) but granular materials will be needed in arid areas.
Particular care is needed with expansive soils, especially those
containing montmorillonite. If construction in such soils cannot
be avoided, earthworks must be designed to minimise
subsequent changes in moisture content and consequent
volume changes. For example, the soil should be placed and
compacted at a moisture content close to the estimated
equilibrium value and it may also be advantageous to seal the
road shoulders with a surface dressing. On low embankments in
expansive soils, relatively shallow side slopes should be used i e
1 in 3, and these should be covered with well graded granular
material. Nevertheless some volume changes must be expected
with expansive soils and any cracks which develop, either in the
side slopes or shoulders, should be sealed before water enters
the structure.
When the subgrade is a particularly expansive soil, it may be
necessary to replace the expansive material with non-expansive
impermeable soil to the depth affected by seasonal moisture
changes.

4.1.4

Construction over compressible soils

Transported soils. In the design of embankments over

compressible soils, it is necessary to determine the amount of
settlement which will occur and ensure that the rate of loading is
sufficiently slow to prevent pore water pressures from exceeding
values at which slip failures are likely to occur. A reasonably
accurate estimate of total settlement can be obtained from
consolidation tests as outlined by Lewis et al (1975) and TRRL
(1976) but the theory usually overestimates the time required for
settlement to occur. This is because most deposits of
unconsolidated silt or clay soils contain horizontal lenses of
permeable sandy sod which allow water to escape.
High pore water pressures can be detected using piezometers
set at different depths This often provides a reliable method of
estimating the time required for consolidation and also provides
a means of checking that

pore water pressures do not reach unacceptably high levels

during construction. Further precautions can be taken by
installing inclinometers to detect any movement of soil which
might indicate that unstable conditions exist.
If necessary, consolidation can be accelerated by installing
some form of vertical drainage. Sand drains consisting of
columns of sand of about 500 mm diameter set at regular
intervals over the area below the embankment have been used
successfully but nowadays wick drains are more common. If the
embankment is sufficiently stable immediately after
construction, the rate of consolidation can be increased by the
addition of a surcharge of additional material which is
subsequently removed before the pavement is constructed.
Organic soils. Organic soils are difficult to consolidate to a
level where further settlement will not occur, and they provide a
weak foundation even when consolidated. It is therefore best to
avoid such materials altogether. If this is not possible, they
should be removed and replaced If neither of these options is
feasible, and provided soil suitable for embankments is
available, methods of construction similar to those adopted for
unconsolidated silt-clays should be used.

4.1.5

Compaction of embankments

Uniformity of compaction is of prime importance in preventing

uneven settlement. Although some settlement can be tolerated
it is important that it is minimised, especially on the approaches
to bridges and culverts where adequate compaction is
essential.
In the United Kingdom, compaction requirements are usually
specified by means of a method specification which eliminates
the need for in situ density tests (Department of Transport
(1986)). In tropical countries it is more usual to use an endproduct specification. It is therefore essential that laboratory
tests are carried out to determine the dry density/moisture
content relationships for the soils to be used and to define the
achievable densities. In the tropics the prevailing high
temperatures promote the drying of soils. This can be beneficial
with soils of high plasticity but, generally, greater care is
necessary to keep the moisture content of the soil as close as
possible to the optimum for compaction with the particular
compaction plant in use.
The upper 500 mm of soil immediately beneath the subbase or
capping layer i e the top of the embankment fill or the natural
subgrade, should be well compacted In practice this means that
a minimum level of 93-95 per cent of the maximum dry density
obtained in the British Standard (Heavy) Compaction Test, 4 5
kg rammer should be specified (a level of 98 per cent is usually
specified for roadbases and sub-bases). The same density
should also be specified for fill behind abutments to bridges and
for the backfill behind culverts. For the lower layers of an
embankment, a compaction level of 90-93 per cent of the
maximum dry density obtained in the British Standard (Heavy)
Compaction Test, 4.5 kg rammer, is suitable, or a level of 95100 per cent of the maximum density obtained in the lighter test
using the 2.5

15

kg yammer. The British Standard Vibrating Hammer Test (BS

1377, Part 4 (1990)) should be used for non-cohesive soils and
a level of 90-93 per cent of maximum density should be
specified for the lower layers and 95 per cent for the upper
layers. Compaction trials should always be carried out to
determine the best way to achieve the specified density with
the plant available (Parsons (1993)).

In and areas where water is either unavailable or expensive to

haul, the dry compaction techniques developed by O'Connell et
al (1987) and Ellis (1980) should be considered. Figure 5
illustrates that high densities can be achieved at low moisture
contents using conventional compaction plant, and field trials
have shown that embankments can be successfully constructed
using these methods.

Fig.5 Dry density-moisture content relationships for a gravel-sand-clay

16

4.1.6

Site control

It is not easy to obtain an accurate measure of field density on

site. The standard methods of measurement are tedious and
not particularly reproducible Furthermore, most soils are
intrinsically variable in their properties and it is difficult to carry
out sufficient tests to define the density distribution. An
acceptable approach to this problem is to make use of nuclear
density and moisture gauges. Such devices are quicker and the
results are more reproducible than traditional methods, but the
instruments will usually need calibration for use with the
materials in question if accurate absolute densities are
required. It may also be advisable to measure the moisture
contents using traditional methods but improvements in nuclear
techniques are always being made and trials should be carried
out for each situation.
Additional site control can be exercised by making use of the
Moisture Condition Test developed by Parsons (Parsons(1976),
Parsons and Toombs (1987)). This test provides a rapid method
of determining the moisture condition of soils and its use is
described in BS 1377, Part 4 (1990).

4.2 CUTTINGS
Cuttings through sound rock can often stand at or near vertical,
but in weathered rock or soil the conditions are more unstable.
Instability is usually caused by an accumulation of water in the
soil, and slips occur when this accumulation of water reduces
the natural cohesion of the soil and increases its mass. Thus
the design and construction of the road should always promote
the rapid and safe movement of water from the area above the
road to the area below, and under no circumstances should the
road impede the flow of water or form a barrier to its movement.

4.2.1

Slope stability

Methods of analysing slope stability are usually based on

measurements of the density, moisture content and strength of
the soil together with calculations of the stresses in the soil
using classic slip-circle analysis (Bishop (1955)). This type of
analysis assumes that the soil mass is uniform. Sometimes
failures do indeed follow the classic slip-circle pattern, but
uniform conditions are rare, particularly in residual soils, and it
is more common for slips to occur along planes of weakness in
the vertical profile. Nevertheless, slope stability analysis
remains an important tool in investigating the likely causes of
slope failures and in determining remedial works, and such an
analysis may be a necessary component of surveys to help
design soil cuttings.

4.2.2

Surveys

The construction of cuttings invariably disturbs the natural

stability of the ground by the removal of lateral support and a
change in the natural ground water conditions. The degree of
instability will depend on the dip and stratification of the soils
relative to the road alignment, the angle

of the slopes, the ground water regime, the type of material, the
dimensions of the cut, and numerous other variables. A full
investigation is therefore an expensive exercise but, fortunately,
most cuttings are small and straightforward Investigations for the
most difficult situations are best left to specialists and guidance
on the need for this can be obtained in, for example, publications
of the NITRR (1987b). Such guidance is defined by local
experience and every opportunity should be taken to maintain a
local data base.
An integral component of a survey is to catalogue the
performance of both natural and man-made slopes in the soils
encountered along the length of the road and to identify the forms
of failures to inform the design process and to make best use of
the empirical evidence available in the area. These procedures
have been described in detail by Anderson and Lloyd (1991) and
considerable future advantages can be obtained if the field
experience is encapsulated in the land classification procedures
described by Lawrance et al (1993).
Where well defined strata appear in the parent rock, it is best to
locate the road over ground where the layers dip towards the hill
and to avoid locating the road across hillsides where the strata
are inclined in the same direction as the ground surface.
During the survey, all water courses crossing the road line
must be identified and the need for culverts and erosion
control established.

4.2.3

Design and construction

The angle of cutting faces will normally be defined at the survey

stage. Benching of the cut faces can be a useful construction
expedient enabling the cutting to be excavated in well defined
stages and simplifying access for subsequent maintenance. The
slope of the inclined face cannot usually be increased when
benching is used and therefore the volume of earthworks is
increased substantially. The bench itself can be inclined either
outwards to shed water down the face of the cutting or towards
the inside In the former, surface erosion may pose a problem In
the latter, a paved drain will be necessary to prevent the
concentration of surface water causing instability in the cutting.
A similar problem applies to the use of cut-off drains at the top of
the cutting which are designed to prevent run-off water from the
area above the cutting from adding to the run-off problems on the
cut slope itself. Unless such drains are lined and properly
maintained to prevent water from entering the slope, they can be
a source of weakness.
Control of ground water in the cutting slopes is sometimes
necessary. Various methods are available but most are
expensive and complex, and need to be designed with care. It is
advisable to carry out a proper ground water survey to investigate
the quantity and location of sources of water and specialist advice
is recommended.

17

As with embankments, it is essential that provision is made to

disperse surface water from the formation at all stages of
construction. Temporary formation levels should always be
maintained at a slope to achieve this. Drainage is critically
important because pore water pressures created by the
available head of ground water in the side slopes can cause
rapid distress in the pavement layers. Subsoil drains at the toe
of the side slopes may be necessary to alleviate this problem.
The subsequent performance, stability and maintenance of
cuttings will depend on the measures introduced to alleviate the
problems created by rainfall and ground water Invariably it is
much more cost effective to install all the necessary elements at
construction rather than to rely on remedial treatment later.
Further guidance can be obtained from standard textbooks and
reference books (Paige-Green (1981), Bell (1987)).

18

5. DRAINAGE AND ROAD

SHOULDERS
5.1 THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM
One of the most important aspects of the design of a road is the
provision made for protecting the road from surface water or
ground water. If water is allowed to enter the structure of the
road, the pavement will be weakened and it will be much more
susceptible to damage by traffic. Water can enter the road as a
result of rain penetrating the surface or as a result of the
infiltration of ground water. The road surface must be
constructed with a camber so that it sheds rainwater quickly and
the top of the subgrade or improved subgrade must be raised
above the level of the local water table to prevent it being
soaked by ground water.
A good road drainage system, which is properly maintained, is
vital to the successful operation of a road and the road designs
described in this Note are based on the assumption that the side
drains and culverts associated with the road are properly
designed and function correctly.
Drainage within the pavement layers themselves is an essential
element of structural design because the strength of the
subgrade used for design purposes depends on the moisture
content during the most likely adverse conditions. It is impossible
to guarantee that road surfaces will remain waterproof
throughout their lives, hence it is important to ensure that water
is able to dram away quickly from within the pavement layers.

5.2 PAVEMENT CROSS-SECTION

The width of the carriageway and the overall geometric design of
the road are dealt with in Overseas Road Note No 5 (Transport
and Road Research Laboratory (1988)). For design traffic
volumes in excess of about 1000 vehicles per day, carriageway
widths of at least 7 metres should be used throughout and
additional lanes will be needed when the capacity of a two-lane
road is exceeded.
Shoulders are an essential element of the structural design of a
road, providing lateral support for the pavement layers. They are
especially important when unbound materials are used in the
pavement and for this type of construction it is recommended
that shoulders should be at least 2 metres wide. For bound
roadbases, shoulder width can be reduced if required If there is
a large volume of non-motorised traffic, then shoulder width
should be increased to a minimum of 3 metres. In order to
exclude water from the road, the top of the shoulders should be
impermeable and a surface dressing or other seal may need to
be applied (see Chapter 9). Unsurfaced shoulders are not
generally recommended because they often require
considerable maintenance if satisfactory performance is to be
guaranteed. Sealed shoulders also prevent the ingress of water
at the edge of the pavement, which is an area particularly
vulnerable to structural

Damage. Shoulders should be differentiated from the

carriageway e.g by the use of edge markings, different sized
aggregate or different coloured aggregate.
Crossfall is needed on all roads in order to assist the shedding
of water into the side drains. A suitable value for paved roads is
about 3 per cent for the carriageway, with a slope of about 4-6
per cent for the shoulders. An increased crossfall for the
carriageway e g 4 per cent, is desirable if the quality of the final
shaping of the road surface is likely to be low for any reason.
There is evidence that there are also benefits to be obtained by
applying steeper crossfalls to layers at successive depths in the
pavement. The top of the sub-base should have a crossfall of 34 per cent and the top of the subgrade should be 4-5 per cent.
These crossfalls not only improve the drainage performance of
the various layers, but also provide a slightly greater thickness of
material at the edge of the pavement where the structure is
more vulnerable to damage. The design thickness should be
that at the centre line of the pavement.

5.3 DRAINAGE OF LAYERS

Provided the crossfalls indicated above are adhered to and the
bituminous surfacing and the shoulders are properly
maintained, rainwater falling on the road will be shed harmlessly
over the shoulders. When permeable roadbase materials are
used (see Section 3 1), particular attention must be given to the
drainage of this layer. Ideally, the roadbase and sub-base
should extend right across the shoulders to the drainage ditches
as shown in Fig 6. Under no circumstances should the `trench'
type of cross-section be used in which the pavement layers are
confined between continuous impervious shoulders.
If it is too costly to extend the roadbase and sub-base material
across the shoulder, drainage channels at 3m to 5m intervals
should be cut through the shoulder to a depth of 50 mm below
sub-base level. These channels should be back-filled with
material of roadbase quality but which is more permeable than
the roadbase itself, and should be given a fall of 1 in 10 to the
side ditch. Alternatively a continuous drainage layer of pervious
material of 75 mm to 100 mm thickness can be laid under the
shoulder such that the bottom of the drainage layer is at the
level of the top of the sub-base. This latter is by far the better of
the two alternatives.
In circumstances where the subgrade itself is permeable and
can dram freely, it is preferable that vertical drainage is not
impeded. If this can be done by ensuring that each layer of the
pavement is more permeable than the layer above, then the
additional drainage layer through the shoulders (layer No 7 in
Fig. 6) is not required.

5.4

SHOULDER MATERIALS

Although the ideal solution is to extend the roadbase and subbase outwards to form the shoulders, when the roadbase
material is non-plastic it may lack sufficient cohesion to
withstand the abrasive action of traffic unless

19

Fig.6 Cross section of road showing drainage arrangements

it is sealed with a surface dressing (see Section 9.2.1). In

circumstances where extending the roadbase is not possible and
the shoulder is not to be sealed, the shoulder material should be
selected using the same principles as for a gravel-surfaced road
or a sub-base to carry construction traffic. Thus the material
should be strong enough to carry occasional vehicles and should
be as cohesive as possible without being too weak when wet.
The material will normally be of sub-base quality and the soaked
CBR value at the specified density should exceed 30 per cent,
except perhaps in and areas where the binding action of plastic
fines may become a more important criterion (see Section 6 2.2,
Tables 6.6 and 6 7 for general guidance).

20

It is also very desirable if at least the outer edge of the shoulder

is able to support the growth of grasses which help to bind the
surface and prevent erosion. On rural roads where the shoulders
rarely need to carry traffic, excellent shoulder performance can
be obtained if the whole of the shoulder is grassed In these
circumstances it is necessary for this grass to be cut regularly to
prevent the level of the shoulder building up above the level of
the carriageway and thereby causing water to be retained at the
carriageway-shoulder interface where it can penetrate the road
structure and cause structural weakening.

6. UNBOUND PAVEMENT
MATERIALS
This chapter gives guidance on the selection of unbound
materials for use as roadbase, sub-base, capping and selected
subgrade layers The main categories with a brief summary of
their characteristics are shown in Table 6 1.

6.1 ROADBASE MATERIALS

A wide range of materials can be used as unbound roadbases
including crushed quarried rock, crushed and screened,
mechanically stabilised, modified or naturally occurring `as dug'
gravels. Their suitability for use depends primarily on the design
traffic level of the pavement and climate but all roadbase
materials must have a particle size distribution and particle
shape which provide high mechanical stability and should
contain sufficient fines (amount of material passing the 0.425
mm sieve) to produce a dense material when compacted. In
circumstances where several types of roadbase are suitable, the
final choice should take into account the expected level of future
maintenance and the total costs over the expected life of the
pavement. The use of locally available materials is encouraged,
particularly at low traffic volumes (i.e. categories Ti and T2).
Their use should be based on the results of performance studies
and should incorporate any special design features which
ensure their satisfactory performance. As a cautionary note,
when considering the use of natural gravels a statistical
approach should be applied in interpreting test results to ensure
that their inherent variability is taken into account in the selection
process.

For lightly trafficked roads the requirements set out below may
be too stringent and in such cases reference should be made to
specific case studies, preferably for roads under similar
conditions.

6.1.1

Crushed stone

Graded crushed stone (GB 1,A and GB1,B). Two types of

material are defined in this category. One is produced by
crushing fresh, quarried rock (GB1,A) and may be an all-in
product, usually termed a `crusher-run', or alternatively the
material may be separated by screening and recombined to
produce a desired particle size distribution. The other is derived
from crushing and screening natural granular material, rocks or
boulders (GB1,B) and may contain a proportion of natural, fine
aggregate. Typical grading limits for these materials are shown
in Table 6 2. After crushing, the material should be angular in
shape with a Flakiness Index (British Standard 812, Part 105
(1990)) of less than 35 per cent. If the amount of fine aggregate
produced during the crushing operation is insufficient, nonplastic angular sand may be used to make up the deficiency. In
constructing a crushed stone roadbase, the aim should be to
achieve maximum impermeability compatible with good
compaction and high stability under traffic.
To ensure that the materials are sufficiently durable, they should
satisfy the criteria given in Table 6.3. These are a minimum Ten
Per Cent Fines Value (TFV) (British Standard 812, Part 111
(1990)) and limits on the maximum loss in strength following a
period of 24 hours of soaking in water. The likely moisture
conditions in the pavement are taken into account in broad
terms based on climate. Other simpler tests e.g. the Aggregate
Impact

TABLE 6.1

21

TABLE 6.2

TABLE 6.3

Test (British Standard 812, Part 112, 1990) may be used in

quality control testing provided a relationship between the
results of the chosen test and the TFV has been determined.
Unique relationships do not exist between the results of the
various tests but good correlations can be established for
individual material types and these need to be determined
locally.
When dealing with materials originating from the weathering of
basic igneous rocks the recommendations in Section 6.1 2
should be used.
The fine fraction of a GB1,A material should be non-plastic.
For GB1,B materials the maximum allowable PI is 6. When
producing these materials, the percentage passing the 0.075
mm sieve should be chosen according to the grading and
plasticity of the fines. For materials with non-plastic fines, the
proportion passing the 0.075 mm sieve may approach 12 per
cent If the PI approaches the upper limit of 6 it is desirable that
the fines content be restricted to the lower end of the range.
To

22

ensure this, a maximum Plasticity Product (PP) value of 45 is

recommended where
PP = PI x (percentage passing the 0.075 mm sieve)
In order to meet these requirements it may be necessary to add
a low proportion of hydrated lime or cement to alter the
properties of the fines. Such materials are commonly referred to
as modified materials Further details are given in Chapter 7.
These materials may be dumped and spread by grader but it is
preferable to use a payer to ensure that the completed surface
is smooth with a tight finish. The material is usually kept wet
during transport and laying to reduce the likelihood of particle
segregation.
The in situ dry density of the placed material should be a
minimum of 98 per cent of the maximum dry density obtained in
the British Standard (Heavy) Compaction Test, 4 5 kg rammer,
or the British Standard Vibrating

Hammer Test (British Standard 1377, Part 4 (1990)). The

compacted thickness of each layer should not exceed 200 mm.
When properly constructed, crushed stone roadbases will have
CBR values well in excess of 100 per cent. In these
circumstances there is no need to carry out CBR tests.
Dry-bound macadam (GB2,A). Dry-bound macadam is a
traditional form of construction, formerly used extensively in the
United Kingdom, and is comparable in performance with a
graded crushed stone It has been used successfully in the
tropics and is particularly applicable in areas where water is
scarce or expensive to obtain It is also suitable where labourintensive construction is an economic option. The materials
consist of nominal single-sized crushed stone and non-plastic
fine aggregate (passing the 5.0 mm sieve). The fine material
should preferably be well graded and consist of crushed rock
fines or natural, angular pit sand.
The dry-bound macadam process involves laying single-sized
crushed stone of either 37.5 mm or 50 mm nominal size in a
series of layers to achieve the design thickness. The compacted
thickness of each layer should not exceed twice the nominal
stone size. Each layer of coarse aggregate should be shaped
and compacted and then the fine aggregate spread onto the
surface and vibrated into the interstices to produce a dense
layer. Any loose material remaining is brushed off and final
compaction carried out, usually with a heavy smooth-wheeled
roller. This sequence is then repeated until the design thickness
is achieved. To aid the entry of the fines, the grading of the 37 5
mm nominal size stone should be towards the coarse end of the
recommended range. Economy in the production process can
be obtained if layers consisting of 50 mm nominal size stone and
layers of 37 5 mm nominal size stone are both used to allow the
required total thickness to be obtained more precisely and to
make better overall use of the output from the crushing plant.

Water-bound macadam (GB2,B). Water-bound macadam is

similar to dry-bound macadam. It consists of two components
namely a relatively single-sized stone with a nominal maximum
particle size of 50 mm or 37 5 mm and well graded fine
aggregate which passes the 5.0 mm sieve. The coarse material
is usually produced from quarrying fresh rock. The crushed
stone is laid, shaped and compacted and then fines are added,
rolled and washed into the surface to produce a dense material.
Care is necessary in this operation to ensure that water
sensitive plastic materials in the sub-base or subgrade do not
become saturated. The compacted thickness of each layer
should not exceed twice the maximum size of the stone The fine
material should preferably be non-plastic and consist of crushed
rock fines or natural, angular pit sand.
Typical grading limits for the coarse fraction of GB2A or GB2B
materials are given in Table 6 4. The grading of M2 and M4
correspond with nominal 50 mm and 37.5 mm single-sized
roadstones (British Standard 63 (1987)) and are appropriate for
use with mechanically crushed aggregate. M1 and M3 are
broader specification M1 has been used for hand-broken stone
but if suitable screens are available, M2, M3 and M4 are
preferred.
Aggregate hardness, durability, particle shape and in situ
density should each conform to those given above for graded
crushed stone.

6.1.2

Naturally occurring granular materials

Normal requirements for natural gravels and weathered

rocks (GB3). A wide range of materials including latentic,
calcareous and quartzitic gravels, river gravels and other
transported gravels, or granular materials resulting from the
weathering of rocks can be used successfully as roadbases.
Table 6.5 contains three recommended particle size
distributions for suitable materials corresponding to maximum
nominal sizes of 37 5 mm, 20 mm and 10 mm Only the two
larger sizes

TABLE 6.4

23

TABLE 6.5

should be considered for traffic in excess of 1 5 million

equivalent standard axles. To ensure that the material has
maximum mechanical stability, the particle size distribution
should be approximately parallel with the grading envelope.
To meet the requirements consistently, screening and crushing
of the larger sizes may be required. The fraction coarser than 10
mm should consist of more than 40 per cent of particles with
angular, irregular or crushed faces. The mixing of materials from
different sources may be warranted in order to achieve the
required grading and surface finish. This may involve adding
fine or coarse materials or combinations of the two.
All grading analyses should be done on materials that have
been compacted. This is especially important if the aggregate
fraction is susceptible to breakdown under compaction and in
service. For materials whose stability decreases with
breakdown, aggregate hardness criteria based on a minimum
soaked Ten Per Cent Fines Value of 50kN or a maximum
soaked Modified Aggregate Impact Value of 40 may be
specified (British Standard 812, Part 112 (1990)).
The fines of these materials should preferably be non-plastic
but should normally never exceed a PI of 6 As an alternative to
specifying PI, a Linear Shrinkage not exceeding 3 may be
specified.
If the PI approaches the upper limit of 6 it is desirable that the
fines content be restricted to the lower end of the range. To
ensure this, a maximum PP of 60 is recommended or
alternatively a maximum Plasticity Modulus (PM) of 90 where
PM = PI x (percentage passing the 0.425 mm sieve)
If difficulties are encountered in meeting the plasticity criteria
consideration should be given to modifying the material by the
addition of a low percentage of hydrated lime or cement.

24

When used as a roadbase, the material should be compacted to

a density equal to or greater than 98 per cent of the maximum
dry density achieved in the British Standard (Heavy) Compaction
Test, 4.5 kg rammer. When compacted to this density in the
laboratory, the material should have a minimum CBR of 80 per
cent after four days immersion in water (British Standard 1377,
Part 4 (1990)).
Arid and semi-arid areas. In low rainfall areas in the tropics,
typically with a mean annual rainfall of less than 500 mm, and
where evaporation is high, moisture conditions beneath a well
sealed surface are unlikely to rise above the optimum moisture
content determined in the British Standard (Heavy) Compaction
Test. In such conditions, high strengths (CBR>80 per cent) are
likely to develop even when natural gravels containing a
substantial amount of plastic fines are used. In these situations,
for the lowest traffic categories (TI, T2) the maximum allowable
PI can be increased to 12 and the minimum soaked CBR
criterion reduced to 60 per cent at the expected field density.
Materials of basic igneous origin. Materials in this group are
sometimes weathered and may release additional plastic fines
during construction or in service. Problems are likely to worsen
if water gains entry into the pavement and this can lead to rapid
and premature failure. The state of decomposition also affects
their long term durability when stabilised with lime or cement.
The group includes common rocks such as basalts and dolerites
but also covers a wider variety of rocks and granular materials
derived from their weathering, transportation or other alteration
(British Standards Institution (1975) and Weinert (1980)).
Normal aggregate tests are often unable to identify unsuitable
materials in this group. Even large, apparently sound particles
may contain minerals that are decomposed and potentially
expansive. The release of these minerals may lead to a
consequent loss in bearing capacity. There are several methods
of identifying unsound aggregates. These include

petrographic analysis to detect secondary (clay) minerals, the

use of various chemical soundness tests e.g. sodium or
magnesium sulphate (British Standard 812 Part 121 (1990)), the
use of dye adsorption tests (Sameshima and Black (1979)) or
the use of a modified Texas Ball Mill Test (Sampson and
Netterberg (1989)). Indicative limits based on these tests include
(i) a maximum secondary mineral content of 20 per cent, (ii) a
maximum loss of 12 or 20 per cent after 5 cycles in the sodium
or magnesium sulphate tests respectively (iii) a Clay Index of
less than 3 and (iv) a Durability Mill Index of less than 90. In
most cases it is advisable to seek expert advice when
considering their use, especially when new deposits are being
evaluated. It is also important to subject the material to a range
of tests since no specific method can consistently identify
problem materials.
Materials of marginal quality. In many parts of the world, asdug gravels which do not normally meet the normal
specifications for roadbases have been used successfully. They
include latentic, calcareous and volcanic gravels. In general their
use should be confined to the lower traffic categories (i.e. T1 and
T2) unless local studies have shown that they have performed
successfully at higher levels. Successful use often depends on
specific design and construction features. It is not possible to
give general guidance on the use of all such materials and the
reader is advised to consult the appropriate source references (e
g. CIRIA (1988), Lionfanga et al (1987), Netterberg and Pinard
(1991), Newill et al (1987) and Rolt et al (1987)).

6.2.1

A minimum CBR of 30 per cent is required at the highest

anticipated moisture content when compacted to the specified
field density, usually a minimum of 95 per cent of the maximum
dry density achieved in the British Standard (Heavy)
Compaction Test, 4.5 kg rammer. Under conditions of good
drainage and when the water table is not near the ground
surface (see Chapter 3) the field moisture content under a
sealed pavement will be equal to or less than the optimum
moisture content in the British Standard (Light) Compaction
Test, 2.5 kg rammer. In such conditions, the sub-base material
should be tested in the laboratory in an unsaturated state.
Except in and areas (Category (3) in Chapter 3), if the roadbase
allows water to drain into the lower layers, as may occur with
unsealed shoulders and under conditions of poor surface
maintenance where the roadbase is pervious (see Section 3 1),
saturation of the sub-base is likely. In these circumstances the
bearing capacity should be determined on samples soaked in
water for a period of four days. The test should be conducted on
samples prepared at the density and moisture content likely to
be achieved in the field In order to achieve the required bearing
capacity, and for uniform support to be provided to the upper
pavement, limits on soil plasticity and particle size distribution
may be required. Materials which meet the recommendations of
Tables 6.6 and 6.7 will usually be found to have adequate
bearing capacity.

6.2.2
The calcareous gravels, which include calcretes and marly
limestones, deserve special mention. Typically, the plasticity
requirements for these materials, all other things being equal,
can be increased by up to 50 per cent above the normal
requirements in the same climatic area without any detrimental
effect on the performance of otherwise mechanically stable
bases. Strict control of grading is also less important and
deviation from a continuous grading is tolerable.

6.2 SUB-BASES (GS)

The sub-base is an important load spreading layer in the
completed pavement. It enables traffic stresses to be reduced to
acceptable levels in the subgrade, it acts as a working platform
for the construction of the upper pavement layers and it acts as
a separation layer between subgrade and roadbase. Under
special circumstances it may also act as a filter or as a drainage
layer. In wet climatic conditions, the most stringent requirements
are dictated by the need to support construction traffic and
paving equipment. In these circumstances the sub-base material
needs to be more tightly specified In dry climatic conditions, in
areas of good drainage, and where the road surface remains
well sealed, unsaturated moisture conditions prevail and subbase specifications may be relaxed. The selection of sub-base
materials will therefore depend on the design function of the
layer and the anticipated moisture regime, both in service and at
construction.

Bearing Capacity

Use as a construction platform

In many circumstances the requirements of a sub-base are

governed by its ability to support construction traffic without
excessive deformation or ravelling. A high quality sub-base is
therefore required where loading or climatic conditions during
construction are severe. Suitable material should possess
properties similar to those of a good surfacing material for
unpaved roads. The material should be well graded and have a
plasticity index at the lower end of the appropriate range for an
ideal unpaved road wearing course under the prevailing climatic
conditions. These considerations form the basis of the criteria
given in Tables 6.6 and 6.7. Material meeting the requirements
for severe conditions will usually be of higher quality than the
standard sub-base (GS). If materials to these requirements are
unavailable, trafficking trials should be conducted to determine
the performance of alternative materials under typical site
conditions.
In the construction of low-volume roads, where cost savings
at construction are particularly important, local experience is
often invaluable and a wider range of materials may often be
found to be acceptable.

6.2.3

Sub-base as a filter or separating layer

This may be required to protect a drainage layer from blockage

by a finer material or to prevent migration of fines and the
mixing of two layers. The two functions are similar except that
for use as a filter the material needs to be capable of allowing
drainage to take place and therefore the amount of material
passing the 0 075 mm sieve must be restricted.

25

TABLE 6.6

TABLE 6.7

The following criteria should be used to evaluate a sub-base

as a separating or filter layer.
a) The ratio D15(coarse layer) should be less than 5
D85(fine layer)
where D15 is the sieve size through which 15 per cent by weight
of the material passes and D85 is the sieve size through which
85 per cent passes.
b) The ratio D50(coarse layer) should be less than 25
D50(fine layer)
For a filter to possess the required drainage characteristics a
further requirement is:
c) The ratio Q15(coarse layer) should lie between 5 and 40
D15(fine layer)
These criteria may be applied to the materials at both the road
base/sub-base and the sub-base/subgrade interfaces. Further
details can be obtained in the appropriate references e.g.
(NAASRA (1983)).

26

6.3 SELECTED SUBGRADE

MATERIALS AND CAPPING
LAYERS (GC)
These materials are often required to provide sufficient cover on
weak subgrades. They are used in the lower pavement layers as
a substitute for a thick sub-base to reduce costs. The
requirements are less strict than for sub-bases. A minimum CBR
of 15 per cent is specified at the highest anticipated moisture
content measured on samples compacted in the laboratory at
the specified field density. This density is usually specified as a
minimum of 95 per cent of the maximum dry density in the
British Standard (Heavy) Compaction Test, 4 5 kg yammer In
estimating the likely soil moisture conditions, the designer
should take into account the functions of the overlying sub-base
layer and its expected moisture condition and the moisture
conditions in the subgrade. If either of these layers is likely to be
saturated during the life of the road, then the selected layer
should also be assessed in this state. Recommended gradings
or plasticity criteria are not given for these materials. However, it
is desirable to select reasonably homogeneous materials since
overall pavement behaviour is often enhanced by this. The
selection of materials which show the least change in bearing
capacity from dry to wet is also beneficial.

7. CEMENT AND LIMESTABILISED MATERIALS

7.1

INTRODUCTION

This chapter gives guidance on the manufacture and use of

cement and lime-stabilised materials in roadbase, sub-base,
capping and selected fill layers of pavements. The stabilising
process involves the addition of a stabilising agent to the soil,
intimate mixing with sufficient water to achieve the optimum
moisture content, compaction of the mixture, and final curing to
ensure that the strength potential is realised. The subject has
been reviewed by Sherwood (1993).
Many natural materials can be stabilised to make them suitable
for road pavements but this process is only economical when
the cost of overcoming a deficiency in one material is less than
the cost of importing another material which is satisfactory
without stabilisation.
Stabilisation can enhance the properties of road materials and
pavement layers in the following ways:

A substantial proportion of their strength is retained when

they become saturated with water.

Surface deflections are reduced.

Resistance to erosion is increased.

Materials in the supporting layer cannot contaminate the

stabilised layer.

The effective elastic moduli of granular layers

constructed above stabilised layers are increased.

Lime-stabilised material is suitable for use as a capping

layer or working platform when the in situ material is
excessively wet or weak and removal is not economical.

Associated with these desirable qualities are several possible

problems:

Cracks can reflect through the surfacing and allow

water to enter the pavement structure.

If carbon dioxide has access to the material, the

stabilisation reactions are reversible and the strength
of the layers can decrease.

The construction operations require more skill and

control than for the equivalent unstabilised material.

Methods of dealing with these problems are outlined in

Section 7.7.
The minimum acceptable strength of a stabilised material
depends on its position in the pavement structure and the level
of traffic. It must be sufficiently strong to resist traffic stresses
but upper limits of strength are usually set to minimise the risk of
reflection cracking. Three types of stabilised layer have been
used in the structural design catalogue and the strengths
required for each are defined in Table 7.1.

7.2

THE STABILISATION PROCESS

When lime is added to a cohesive soil, calcium ions replace

sodium ions in the clay fraction until the soil becomes saturated
with calcium and the pH rises to a value in excess of 12 (i a
highly alkaline). The quantity of lime required to satisfy these
reactions is determined by the initial consumption of lime test
(ICL), (British Standard 1924 (1990)).
The solubility of silica and alumina in the soil increase
dramatically when the pH is greater than 12 and their reaction
with lime can then proceed producing cementitious calcium
silicates and aluminates. Amorphous silica reacts particularly
well with lime. The cementitious compounds form a skeleton
which holds the soil particles and aggregates together (NITRR
(1986)).
The primary hydration of cement forms calcium silicate and
aluminate hydrates, releasing lime which reacts with sod
components, as described above, to produce additional
cementitious material.

Traffic, thermal and shrinkage stresses can cause

stabilised layers to crack.

TABLE 7.1

27

7.3 SELECTION OF TYPE OF

TREATMENT
The selection of the stabiliser is based on the plasticity and
particle size distribution of the material to be treated. The
appropriate stabiliser can be selected according to the criteria
shown in Table 7 2 adapted from NAASRA (1986).
Some control over the grading can be achieved by limiting the
coefficient of uniformity to a minimum value of 5. The coefficient
of uniformity is defined as the ratio of the sieve size through
which 60 per cent of the material passes to the sieve size
through which 10 per cent passes (D60/D10 in the nomenclature
of Section 6 2 3). If the coefficient of uniformity lies below this
value the cost of stabilisation will be high and the maintenance
of cracks in the finished road could be expensive. Except for

materials containing amorphous silica e.g some sandstones and

chert, material with low plasticity is usually best treated with
cement. However, reactive silica in the form of pozzolans can
be added to sods with low plasticity to make them suitable for
stabilisation with lime. If the plasticity of the soil is high there are
usually sufficient reactive clay minerals which can be readily
stabilised with lime. Cement is more difficult to mix intimately
with plastic materials but this problem can be alleviated by pretreating the soil with approximately 2 per cent of lime to make it
more workable.
If possible, the quality of the material to be stabilised should
meet the minimum standards set out in Table 7.3. Stabilised
layers constructed from these materials are more likely to
perform satisfactorily even if they are affected by carbonation
during their lifetime (Section 7.7 3). Materials which do not
comply with Table 7 3 can

TABLE 7.2

TABLE 7.3

28

sometimes be stabilised but more additive will be required and

the cost and the risk from cracking and carbonation will increase.
Some aspects of construction must also be considered in
selecting the stabiliser. It is not always possible to divert traffic
during construction and the work must then be carried out in halfwidths. The rate of gain of strength in the pavement layer may
sometimes need to be rapid so that traffic can be routed over the
completed pavement as soon as possible Under these
circumstances, cement stabilisation, with a faster curing period,
is likely to be more suitable than lime stabilisation.
Certain types of organic compounds in soils can affect the
hydration of cement and inhibit the gain in strength. It is
recommended that the effects of organic matter are assessed by
strength tests as outlined below

7.4
7.4.1

CEMENT STABILISATION
Selection of cement content

The cement content determines whether the characteristics of

the mixture are dominated by the properties of the original soil or
by the hydration products. As the proportion of cement in the
mixture increases, so the strength increases. Strength also
increases with time During the first one or two days after
construction this increase is rapid. Thereafter, the rate slows
down although strength gain continues provided the layer is well
cured. The choice of cement content depends on the strength
required, the durability of the mixture, and the soundness of the
aggregate
The minimum cement content, expressed as a percentage of the
dry weight of soil, should exceed the quantity consumed in the
initial ion exchange reactions. Until research into the initial
consumption of cement (ICC) is completed it is recommended
that the percentage of cement added should be equal to or
greater than the ICL. If there is any possibility that the material to
be stabilised is unsound e.g. weathered basic igneous materials,
then the Gravel ICL Test (NITRR (1984)) is preferred. In this test
the aggregate is ground up to release any active clay minerals
and the total sample tested
The durability of the stabilised mixture which satisfies the
strength requirements for the particular layer should also be
assessed. Mixtures produced from sound materials complying
with the minimum requirements of Table 7.3 can be assumed to
be durable if they achieve the design strength. Mixtures
produced from other materials should be checked using the wetdry brushing test (ASTM (1987)) which gives a good indication of
the likelihood that a stabilised material will retain adequate
strength during its service life in a pavement (Paige-Green et al
(1990)).
Additional stabiliser is normally incorporated to take account of
the variability in mixing which occurs on site. If good control is
exercised over the construction operations, an extra one per cent
of stabiliser is satisfactory for this purpose.

7.4.2

Preparation of specimens

The optimum moisture content and the maximum dry density for
mixtures of soil plus stabiliser are determined according to
British Standard 1924 (1990) for additions of 2, 4, 6 and 8 per
cent of cement. These specimens should be compacted as
soon as the mixing is completed. Delays of the order of two
hours occur in practice and changes taking place within the
mixed material result in changes in their compaction
characteristics. To determine the sensitivity of the stabilised
materials to delays in compaction, another set of tests must be
conducted after two hours have elapsed since the completion of
mixing.
Samples for the strength tests should also be mixed and left
for two hours before being compacted into 150 mm cubes at
97 per cent of the maximum dry density obtained, after a
similar two hour delay, in the British Standard (Heavy)
Compaction Test, 4.5 kg rammer. These samples are then
moist cured for 7 days and soaked for 7 days in accordance
with BS 1924.
Two methods of moist curing are described in the Standard.
The preferred method is to seal the specimens in wax but if this
is not possible they must be wrapped in cling film and sealed in
plastic bags. The specimens should be maintained at 25C
during the whole curing and soaking period.
When the soaking phase is completed, the samples are
crushed, their strengths measured, and an estimate made of the
cement content needed to achieve the target strength.
If suitable moulds are not available to produce cube specimens
then 200 mm x 100 mm cylinders, 115.5 mm x 105 mm
cylinders or 127 mm x 152 mm cylinders may be used and the
results multiplied by the following correction factors to calculate
equivalent cube strengths.
Sample Type

Correction Factor

200 mm x 100 mm diameter

1.25

115.5 mm x 105 mm diameter

1 04

127 mm x 152 mm diameter

0 96

As an alternative, the strength of stabilised sub-base material

may be measured by the CBR test after 7 days of moist curing
and 7 days of soaking. A minimum strength of 70 CBR is
recommended.
When the plasticity of the soil makes it difficult to pulverise and
mix intimately with the cement, the workability can be improved
by first pre-treating the sod with 2 to 3 per cent of lime, lightly
compacting the mixture, and leaving it to stand for 24 hours.
The material is then repulvensed and stabilised with cement. If
this method is used, the laboratory design procedure is modified
to include the pre-treatment phase before testing as described
above.

29

7.5 LIME STABILISATION

7.5.1

Properties of lime-stabilised materials

When lime is added to a plastic material, it first flocculates the

clay and substantially reduces the plasticity index. This
reduction of plasticity is time dependent during the initial weeks,
and has the effect of increasing the optimum moisture content
and decreasing the maximum dry density in compaction. The
compaction characteristics are therefore constantly changing
with time and delays in compaction cause reductions in density
and consequential reductions in strength and durability. The
workability of the soil also improves as the soil becomes more
friable. If the amount of lime added exceeds the ICL, the
stabilised material will generally be non-plastic or only slightly
plastic.
Both the ion exchange reaction and the production of
cementitious materials increases the stability and reduces the
volume change within the clay fraction It is not unusual for the
swell to be reduced from 7 or 8 per cent to 0.1 per cent by the
addition of lime. The ion exchange reaction occurs quickly and
can increase the CBR of clayey materials by a factor of two or
three.
The production of cementitious materials can continue for ten
years or more but the strength developed will be influenced by
the materials and the environment. The elastic modulus behaves
similarly to the strength and continues to increase for a number
of years. Between the ages of one month and two to three years
there can be a four-fold increase in the elastic modulus.

7.5.2

Types of lime

The most common form of commercial lime used in lime

stabilisation is hydrated high calcium lime, Ca(OH)2, but
monohydrated dolomitic lime, Ca(OH)2 MgO, calcitic quick
lime, CaO, and dolomitic quicklime, CaO.MgO are .also used.
For hydrated high calcium lime the majority of the free lime,
which is defined as the calcium oxide and calcium hydroxide
that is not combined with other constituents, should be present
as calcium hydroxide. British Standard 890 requires a minimum
free lime and magnesia content, (CaO + MgO), of 65 per cent.
Quicklime has a much higher bulk density than hydrated lime
and it can be produced in various aggregate sizes. It is less
dusty than hydrated lime but the dust is much more dangerous
and strict safety precautions are necessary when it is used.
For quicklime, British Standard 890 requires a minimum free
lime and magnesia content, (CaO + MgO), of 85 per cent.
Quicklime is an excellent stabiliser if the material is very wet.
When it comes into contact with the wet soil the quicklime
absorbs a large amount of water as it hydrates. This process is
exothermic and the heat produced acts as a further drying
agent for the soil. The removal of water and the increase in
plastic limit cause a substantial

30

and rapid increase in the strength and trafficabdity of the wet

material.
In many parts of the world, lime has been produced on a small
scale for many hundreds of years to make mortars and lime
washes for buildings. Different types of kilns have been used
and most appear to be relatively effective. Trials have been
carried out by TRRL in Ghana (Elks (1974)) to determine the
output possible from small kilns and to assess the suitability of
lime produced without commercial process control for soil
stabilisation. Small batch kilns have subsequently been used to
produce lime for stabilised layers on major road projects.

7.5.3

Selection of lime content

The procedure for selecting the lime content follows the steps
used for selecting cement content and should, therefore, be
carried out in accordance with British Standard 1924 (1990). The
curing period for lime-stabilised materials is 21 days of moist
cure followed by 7 days of soaking.
In tropical and sub-tropical countries the temperature of the
samples should be maintained at 25C which is near to the
ambient temperature. Accelerated curing at higher
temperatures is not recommended because the correlation with
normal curing at temperatures near to the ambient temperature
can differ from soil to soil. At high temperatures the reaction
products formed by lime and the reactive silica in the soil can
be completely different from those formed at ambient
temperatures.

7.6 POZZOLANS
One of the primary sources of pozzolan is the pulvensed fuel
ash (PFA) collected from the boilers of coal-fired electricity
generating stations.
PFA is usually mixed with lime in the proportions of 1 of lime to 3
or 4 of PFA but ratios of 1 to 2 up to 1 to 10 are used. The
proportion depends on the reactivity of the particular fly ash
which varies substantially from source to source. Lime and fly
ash treated layers have a similar performance to cement treated
layers constructed from the same aggregate material. The final
mixtures should be chosen after a series of laboratory tests
carried out after 21 days of moist cure and 7 days of soaking to
determine the optimum ratio of lime to fly ash and the optimum
lime content (expressed as a percentage of dry soil).
In many tropical countries there are substantial quantities of
bagasse (the fibrous residue from the crushing of sugar cane)
and husks from rice. Both are rich in silica. When burnt, their
ash contains a substantial amount of amorphous silica which
reacts with lime (Cook and Suwanvitaya (1982), Mehta (1979)).
Lime and rice-husk ash mixtures gain strength quickly during the
early period of curing but little additional strength is obtained
after 28 days of moist curing. The long-term strength depends
on the stability of the calcium

silicate hydrates. Under certain conditions lime leaching can

occur and eventually the strength will be reduced, but the
presence of excess lime (free lime) can stabilise the calcium
silicate hydrate. Mixtures of lime and rice-husk ash in the
proportions 2:3 are the most stable and have the highest
strength but the durability may be improved by increasing the
lime content to give a 1:1 mixture.

7.7 CONSTRUCTION
7.7.1

General methodology

The construction of stabilised layers follows the same procedure

whether the stabilising agent is cement, lime or mixtures of limepozzolan. After the surface of the layer has been shaped, the
stabiliser is spread and then mixed through the layer. Sufficient
water is added to meet the compaction requirements and the
material mixed again. The layer must be compacted as soon as
possible, trimmed, re-rolled and then cured. The effect of each
operation on the design and performance of the pavement is
discussed below.
Spreading the stabiliser. The stabiliser can be spread
manually by `spotting' the bags at predetermined intervals,
breaking the bags and then raking the stabiliser across the
surface as uniformly as possible. Lime has a much lower bulk
density than cement and it is possible to achieve a more uniform
distribution with lime when stabilisers are spread manually.
Alternatively, mechanical spreaders can be used to meter the
required amount of stabiliser onto the surface.
Mixing. Robust mixing equipment of suitable power for the
pavement layer being processed is capable of pulverising the
soil and blending it with the stabiliser and water. The most
efficient of these machines carry out the operation in one pass,
enabling the layer to be compacted quickly and minimising the
loss of density and strength caused by any delay in compaction.
Multi-pass machines are satisfactory provided the length of
pavement being processed is not excessive and each section of
pavement can be processed within an acceptable time. Graders
have been used to mix stabilised materials but they are
inefficient for pulverising cohesive materials and a considerable
number of passes are needed before the quality of mixing is
acceptable. They are therefore very slow and should only be
considered for processing lime-stabilised layers because of the
greater workability of lime-stabilised materials and the
subsequent diffusion of lime through the soil aggregations
(Stocker (1972)).
Plant pre-mixing gives the possibility of better control than inplace spreading and mixing provided that the plant is close
enough to the site to overcome possible problems caused by
delays in delivery. This can often be justified by the lower safety
margins on stabiliser content and target layer thicknesses that
are possible.
Compaction. A stabilised layer must be compacted as soon as
possible after mixing has been completed in order that the full
strength potential can be realised and the density can be
achieved without over stressing the

material. If the layer is over stressed, shear planes will be formed

near the top of the layer and premature failure along this plane is
likely, particularly when the layer is only covered by a surface
dressing.
Multi-layer construction. When two or more lifts are required to
construct a thick layer of stabilised material, care must be taken
to prevent carbonation at the surface of the bottom lift. It is also
important that the stabiliser is mixed to the full depth of each
layer. A weak band of any type can cause over stressing and
premature failure of the top lift followed by deterioration of the
lower section.
In general, the thickness of a lift should not be greater than
200 mm or less than 100 mm.
Care should be taken to reduce the density gradient in the layer
because permeable material in the lower part of the layer makes
it more susceptible to carbonation from below If necessary, a
layer should be compacted in two parts to make the bottom less
permeable.
The compaction operation should be completed within two
hours and the length of road which is processed at any time
should be adjusted to allow this to be achieved.
Curing. Proper curing is very important for three reasons:

It ensures that sufficient moisture is retained in the

layer so that the stabiliser can continue to hydrate.

It reduces shrinkage.

It reduces the risk of carbonation from the top of the layer.

In a hot and dry climate the need for good curing is very important
but the prevention of moisture loss is difficult. If the surface is
sprayed constantly and kept damp day and night, the moisture
content in the main portion of the layer will remain stable but the
operation is likely to leach stabiliser from the top portion of the
layer. If the spraying operation is intermittent and the surface
dries from time to time (a common occurrence when this method
is used), the curing will be completely ineffective.
Spraying can be a much more efficient curing system if a layer of
sand, 30 to 40 mm thick, is first spread on top of the stabilised
layer. If this is done the number of spraying cycles per day can
be reduced and there is a considerable saving in the amount of
water used. After seven days, the sand should be brushed off
and the surface primed with a low viscosity cutback bitumen.
An alternative method of curing is to first apply a very light spray
of water followed by either a viscous cutback bitumen, such as
MC 3000, or a slow setting emulsion. Neither of these will
completely penetrate the surface of the stabilised layer and will
leave a continuous bitumen film to act as a curing membrane. It
is essential that all traffic is kept off the membrane for seven
days. After this time, any excess bitumen can be absorbed by
sanding the surface.

31

A prime coat cannot serve as a curing membrane. Research

has shown that a prime penetrates too far into the layer and
insufficient bitumen is retained on the surface to provide the
necessary continuous film (Bofinger et al (1978)).

7.7.2

Control of shrinkage and reflection

cracks

There is no simple method of preventing shrinkage cracks

occurring in stabilised layers. However, design and construction
techniques can be adopted which go some way to alleviating the
problem.

Shrinkage problems in plastic gravels can be substantially

reduced if air-dry gravel is used and the whole construction is
completed within two hours, the water being added as late as
possible during the mixing operation. It is generally not possible
to use gravel in a completely air-dry condition, but the lower the
initial moisture content and the quicker it is mixed and compacted, the smaller will be the subsequent shrinkage strains.

Loss of water, particularly during the initial curing period.

Cement content.

Density of the compacted material.

Having accepted that some shrinkage cracks are inevitable in

the stabilised layer, the most effective method of preventing
these from reflecting through the bituminous surfacing is to cover
the cemented layer with a substantial thickness of granular
material. This is the design philosophy in Charts numbered 2, 4
and 6 in Chapter 10. When cemented material is used as a
roadbase (Chart 8) a flexible surfacing such as a double surface
dressing is recommended. Experience in a number of countries
has shown that a further surface dressing applied after 2-3 years
can partially or completely seal any subsequent cracking,
particularly where lime is the stabilising agent.

Method of compaction.

7.7.3

Pre-treatment moisture content of the material to be

stabilised.

If cement or lime-stabilised materials are exposed to air, the

hydration products may react with carbon dioxide thereby
reducing the strength of the material by an average of 40 per
cent of the unconfined compressive strength (Paige-Green et al
(1990)). This reaction is associated with a decrease in the pH of
the material from more than 12 to about 8.5. The presence and
depth of carbonation can be detected by testing the pH of the
stabilised layer with phenolphthalein indicator and checking for
the presence of carbonates with hydrochloric acid (Netterberg
(1984)). A reasonable indication of whether the material being
stabilised will be subject to serious carbonation can be obtained
from the wet/dry test for durability (Paige-Green et al (1990)).

Shrinkage, particularly in cement-stabilised materials, has been

shown (Bofinger et al (1978)) to be influenced by

Proper curing is essential not only for maintaining the hydration

action but also to reduce volume changes within the layer. The
longer the initial period of moist cure the smaller the shrinkage
when the layer subsequently dries.
When the layer eventually dries, the increased strength
associated with a high stabiliser content will cause the shrinkage
cracks to form at increased spacing and have substantial width.
With lower cement contents, the shrinkage cracks occur at
reduced spacing and the material will crack more readily under
traffic because of its reduced strength. The probability of these
finer cracks reflecting through the surfacing is reduced, but the
stabilised layer itself will be both weaker and less durable.
In order to maximise both the strength and durability of the
pavement layer the material is generally compacted to the
maximum density possible. However, for some stabilised
materials it is sometimes difficult to achieve normal compaction
standards and any increase in compactive effort to achieve them
may have the adverse effect of causing shear planes in the
surface of the layer or increasing the subsequent shrinkage of
the material as its density is increased. If it proves difficult to
achieve the target density, a higher stabiliser content should be
considered in order that an adequately strong and durable layer
can be produced at a lower density.
Laboratory tests have shown that samples compacted by impact
loading shrink considerably more than those compacted by static
loading or by kneading compaction. Where reflection cracking is
likely to be a problem, it is therefore recommended that the layer
should be com-

32

pacted with pneumatic-tyred rollers rather than vibrating types.

Carbonation

Good curing practices, as outlined in Section 7.7.1, are the

best means of preventing carbonation in roadbases. The risk
of carbonation can be reduced by taking the following
precautions:

Avoid wet/dry cycles during the curing phase.

Seal as soon as possible to exclude carbon dioxide.

Compact as early as possible to increase the

density and to reduce the permeability.

Reduce the possibility of reflection cracks.

There may be some conflict between the last two points and
care should be taken not to over compact the layer.
Checks should be made during construction and if the depth
of carbonated material is more than 2 to 3 mm the
carbonated layer should be removed by heavy brushing or
grading before the surfacing is applied.

7.8 QUALITY CONTROL

A high level of quality control is necessary in the manufacture of
cement and lime-stabilised materials, as with all other materials
used in the road pavement, but several factors need special
consideration.
Storage and handling of stabilisers. Unless cement and lime
are properly stored and used in a fresh condition the quality of
the pavement layer will be substantially reduced. Cement must
be stored in a solid, watertight shed and the bags stacked as
tightly as possible. Doors and windows should only be opened if
absolutely necessary. The cement which is delivered from the
manufacturer first should also be used first. Even if cement is
properly stored the following losses in strength will occur:After 3 months

20% reduction

After 6 months

30% reduction

After 1 year

40% reduction

After 2 years

50% reduction

Lime should be packed in sealed bags, tightly stacked and

stored under cover or at least under a watertight tarpaulin. If it
becomes contaminated or damp, it can only be used as a filler.
Lime which is older than 6 months should be discarded.
Distribution of stabiliser. After the layer has been properly
processed, at least 20 samples should be taken for
determination of the stabiliser content. The mixing efficiency is
acceptable if the coefficient of variation is less than 30 per cent.
Great care is necessary in multi-layer construction to ensure
that good mixing extends to the full depth of all the layers.
Opening to traffic. Insufficient research has been carried out
to determine the precise effects of opening a road to traffic
before the completion of the curing period but it is considered
that allowing traffic on the pavement during the first two days
can be beneficial for some stabilised layers provided the traffic
does not mark the 'green' surface and all traffic is kept off the
pavement from the end of the second day until one week has
elapsed (Williams (1986)). Early trafficking has a similar effect
to that of pre-cracking the layer by rolling within a day or two of
its construction but rolling is preferred because it ensures even
coverage of the full width of the carriageway.
Layers which are pre-cracked or trafficked early must be
allowed to develop sufficient strength to prevent abrasion of the
edges of each crack before the layer is opened to general traffic.
The slab strength of these layers is effectively destroyed and it
is recommended that early trafficking is only acceptable for
layers of cemented roadbase type CB2.

33

8. BITUMEN-BOUND MATERIALS
This chapter describes types of bituminous materials,
commonly referred to as premixes, which are manufactured in
asphalt mixing plants and laid hot. In situ mixing using either
labour intensive techniques or mechanised plant can also be
used for making roadbases for lower standard roads but these
methods are not generally recommended and are not
discussed in detail here.

High resistance to deformation.

High resistance to fatigue and the ability to withstand

high strains i.e they need to be flexible.

Sufficient stiffness to reduce the stresses transmitted to

the underlying pavement layers.

High resistance to environmental degradation i e. good

durability.

Low permeability to prevent the ingress of water and

air.

Good workability to allow adequate compaction to be

obtained during construction.

8.1 COMPONENTS OF A MIX

The coarse aggregates used for making premix should be
produced by crushing sound, unweathered rock or natural
gravel. The specifications for the aggregates are similar to
those for granular roadbases. The aggregate must be clean and
free of clay and organic material. To obtain good mechanical
interlock and good compaction the particles should be angular
and not flaky. Rough-textured material is preferable. Gravel
should be crushed to produce at least two fractured faces on
each particle. The aggregate must be strong enough to resist
crushing during mixing and laying as well as in service. Aggregates which are exposed to traffic must also be resistant to
abrasion and polishing. Highly absorptive aggregates are
wasteful of bitumen and give rise to problems in mix design.
They should be avoided where possible but if there is no
choice, the absorption of bitumen must be taken into account in
the mix design procedure. Hydrophillic aggregates which have a
poor affinity for bitumen in the presence of water should also be
avoided They may be acceptable only where protection from
water can be guaranteed
The fine aggregate can be crushed rock or natural sand and
should also be clean and free from organic impurities. The filler
(material passing the 0.075 mm sieve) can be crushed rock
fines, Portland cement or hydrated lime. Portland cement or
hydrated lime is often added to natural filler (1-2 per cent by
mass of total mix) to assist the adhesion of the bitumen to the
aggregate. Fresh hydrated lime can help reduce the rate of
hardening of bitumen in surface dressings and may have a
similar effect in premixes.
Suitable specifications for the coarse and fine mineral
components are given in Tables 8 1 and 8.2.

8.2 BITUMINOUS SURFACINGS

The most critical layer of the pavement is the bituminous
surfacing, and the highest quality material is necessary for this
layer. Where thick bituminous surfacings are required, they are
normally constructed with a wearing course laid on a basecourse
(sometimes called a binder course) which can be made to slightly
less stringent specifications.
To perform satisfactorily as road surfacings, bitumen aggregate
mixes need to possess the following charactenstics:-

34

The requirements of a mix which will ensure each of these

characteristics are often conflicting In temperate climates it has
proved possible to design mixes which possess an acceptable
balance of properties giving long service lives under a range of
loading and climatic conditions. In the tropics, higher
temperatures and high axle loads produce an environment
which is more severe thereby making the mix requirements
more critical and an overall balance of properties more difficult
to obtain.
High temperatures initially reduce the stiffness of mixes, making
them more prone to deformation, and also cause the bitumen to
oxidise and harden more rapidly, thereby reducing its durability.
Unfortunately the requirements for improved durability i e.
increased bitumen content and lower voids, usually conflict with
the requirements for higher stiffness and improved deformation
resistance. As a result, the tolerances on mix specifications
need to be very narrow and a high level of quality control at all
stages of manufacture is essential. The requirements are so
critical for wearing course mixes that different mix designs are
often necessary for different conditions on the same road. For
example, mixes suitable for areas carrying heavy, slow-moving
traffic, such as on climbing lanes, or areas where traffic is highly
channelled, will be unsuitable for flat, open terrain where traffic
moves more rapidly. A mix suitable for the latter is likely to
deform on a climbing lane and a mix suitable for a climbing lane
is likely to possess poor durability in flat terrain. In severe
locations the use of bitumen modifiers is often advantageous
(Hoban (1990), M. Hizam Harun and Jones (1992)).
The age hardening of the bitumen in the wearing course is much
greater at the exposed surface where the effect of the
environment is much more severe and it is this hardened, brittle
skin that usually cracks early in the life of the surfacing (Rolt et
al (1986)). In areas where the diurnal temperature range is
large, for example in most desert areas, thermal stresses can
significantly increase the rate at which cracking occurs. The risk
of premature cracking can be greatly reduced by applying a
surface dressing to the wearing course soon after it has been
laid, preferably after a few weeks of trafficking by construction
traffic. This provides a bitumen-rich layer with a high strain
tolerance at the point of potential weakness whilst also providing
a good surface texture with

TABLE 8.1

improved skid resistant properties. If such a surface dressing

is used, some cost savings can often be made by using a
basecourse material in place of the wearing course. For
severely loaded sites, such mixes can be designed to have a
high resistance to deformation and under these conditions a
surface dressing is essential if early cracking is to be
prevented.
It has also been shown (Smith et al (1990)) that 40/50, 60/70
and 80/100 penetration grade bitumens in the surface of
wearing courses all tend to harden to a similar viscosity within a
short time. It is therefore recommended that 60/70 pen bitumen
is used to provide a suitable compromise between workability,
deformation resistance and potential hardening in service. If
possible, a bitumen should be selected which has a low
temperature sensitiv-

ity and good resistance to hardening as indicated by the

standard and extended forms of the Rolling Thin Film Oven
Test (ASTM, D2872, Dickinson (1982)).

8.3

TYPES OF PREMIX IN COMMON

USE

The main types of premix are asphaltic concrete, bitumen

macadam and hot rolled asphalt. Each type can be used in
surfacings or roadbases. Their general properties and
specifications suitable for tropical environments are described
below. A design procedure based on 'refusal density' is
suggested to enhance the standard Marshall procedure (Section
8.3 5 and Appendix D).

35

TABLE 8.2

8.3.1

Asphaltic concrete

Asphaltic concrete (AC) is a dense, continuously graded mix

which relies for its strength on both the interlock between
aggregate particles and, to a lesser extent, on the properties of
the bitumen and filler. The mix is designed to have low air voids
and low permeability to provide good durability and good fatigue
behaviour but this makes the material particularly sensitive to
errors in proportioning, and mix tolerances are therefore very
narrow (Jackson and Brien (1962), Asphalt Institute (1983),
(1989) and (1991)).
The particle size distributions for wearing course material given
in Table 8.3 have produced workable mixes that have not
generally suffered from deformation failures but they are not
ideal for conditions of severe loading e.g. slow moving heavy
traffic and high temperatures (see Section 8.3.5). This is
because the continuous matrix of fine aggregate, filler and
bitumen is more than sufficient to fill the voids in the coarse
aggregate and this reduces the particle to particle contact within
the coarse aggregate and lowers the resistance to deformation.
A particle size distribution that conforms to the requirements for
asphaltic concrete or a close graded bitumen macadam
basecourse (BC1 in Table 8.3 or BC2 in Table 8.6) is
recommended for use as the wearing course in severe
conditions but such mixes must be sealed.
It is common practice to design the mix using the Marshall Test
and to select the design binder content by calculating the mean
value of the binder contents for (i) maximum stability, (ii)
maximum density, (iii) the mean

36

value for the specified range of void contents and (d) the mean
value for the specified range of flow values. Compliance of
properties at this design binder content with recommended
Marshall criteria is then obtained (Table 8 4).
A maximum air voids content of 5 per cent is recommended to
reduce the potential age hardening of the bitumen but on severe
sites the overriding criteria is that a minimum air voids of 3 per
cent at refusal density should be achieved. This is equivalent to
the condition which will arise after heavy trafficking and is
designed to ensure that serious deformation does not occur. For
such a mix it is unlikely that it will also be possible to reduce the
air voids content at 98 per cent of Marshall density to 5 per cent
and therefore it is recommended that a surface dressing is
applied to the wearing course to provide the necessary
protection against age hardening.
It is frequently found that mixes are designed to have the
highest possible stabilities. This usually means that the binder
content is reduced resulting in mixes which are more difficult to
compact and are less durable. It is important to note that there
is a relatively poor correlation between Marshall stability and
deformation in service, and durability should not be jeopardised
in the belief that a more deformation resistant mix will be
produced.
A better method of selecting the Marshall design binder content
is to examine the range of binder contents over which each
property is satisfactory, define the common range over which all
properties are acceptable, and then choose a design value near
the centre of the common range. If this common range is too
narrow, the aggregate

TABLE 8.3

TABLE 8.4

37

grading should be adjusted until the range is wider and

tolerances less critical.
To ensure that the compacted mineral aggregate in
continuously graded mixes has a voids content large enough to
contain sufficient bitumen, a minimum value of the voids in the
mineral aggregate (VMA) is specified, as shown in Table 8.5.

TABLE 8.5

with a surface dressing soon after laying is recommended for a

long maintenance-free life. Slurry seals can also be used but
they are best used in combination with a surface dressing to
form a Cape seal.
Close graded bitumen macadam mixes offer a good basis for
the design of deformation resistant materials for severe sites
and in these cases they should be designed on the basis of their
refusal density. Recipe mixes are not recommended in these
circumstances and the Marshall design criteria in Table 8 7
should be used. At the time of construction the air voids content
is virtually certain to be in excess of five per cent and therefore a
surface dressing should be placed soon after construction.

8.3.3

Rolled asphalt

Rolled asphalt is a gap-graded mix which relies for its properties

primarily on the mortar of bitumen, filler (<0 075 mm) and fine
aggregate (0.075 - 2.36 mm). The coarse aggregate (>2.36 mm)
acts as an extender but its influence on stability and density
increases as the proportion of coarse aggregate in the mix
increases above approximately 55 per cent. If the coarse
aggregate content is less than about 40 per cent, pre-coated
chippings should be rolled into the surface to provide texture for
good skid resistance where necessary.

The Marshall design procedure is based on the assumption that

the densities achieved in the Marshall Test samples represent
those that will occur in the wheelpaths after a few years of
trafficking. If in situ air voids are too high, rapid age hardening of
the bitumen will ensue. Conversely, on severely loaded sites the
air voids may be reduced by traffic leading to failure through
plastic flow. In this latter situation the method of designing for a
minimum air voids in the mix (VIM) at refusal density should be
used (see Section 8 3.5).

8.3.2

Bitumen macadam

Close graded bitumen macadams (formerly called dense bitumen

macadams or DBMs) are continuously graded mixes similar to
asphaltic concretes but usually with a less dense aggregate
structure. They have been developed in the United Kingdom
(British Standard 4987 (1984)) from empirical studies over many
years and are made to recipe specifications without reference to
a formal design procedure. Implicit in the design is a knowledge
of which materials perform satisfactorily in the United Kingdom
under given climatic conditions and strictly controlled vehicle axle
loads. Doubts about their suitability for different conditions and
with different materials may therefore arise but, in practice,
numerous materials including crushed gravels have been used
successfully. The advantage of this method is that quality control
testing is simplified and this should allow more intensive
compliance testing to be performed. Aggregates which behave
satisfactorily in asphaltic concrete will also be satisfactory in
dense bitumen macadam. Suitable specifications for both
wearing course and basecourse mixes are given in Table 8.6.
Sealing the wearing course

38

Rolled asphalt has been developed in the United Kingdom to

recipe specifications but can also be designed using the
Marshall Test so that the physical characteristics of the fine
aggregate can be taken into account (British Standard 594
(1985)). Wearing courses made to the particle size distributions
in the British Standard and with filler-to-binder ratios in the range
0.8 - 1 0 have performed well in the tropics. The compositions of
suitable mixes are summarised in Table 8 8. The mixes made
with natural sand are more tolerant of proportioning errors than
asphaltic concrete and are easier to compact. Although the air
voids tend to be slightly higher than asphaltic concrete, they are
discontinuous and the mixes are impermeable.

8.3.4

Flexible bituminous surfacing

It is essential that the thin bituminous surfacings (50mm)

recommended for structures described in Charts 3,4 and 7 of the
structural catalogue are flexible. This is particularly important for
surfacings laid on granular roadbases. Mixes which are
designed to have good durability rather than high stability are
flexible and are likely to have `sand' and bitumen contents at the
higher end of the permitted ranges. In areas where the
production of sand-sized material is expensive and where there
is no choice but to use higher stability mixes, additional stiffening
through the ageing and embrittlement of the bitumen must be
prevented by applying a surface dressing.

8.3.5

Design to refusal density

Under severe loading conditions asphalt mixes must be

expected to experience significant secondary compaction in the
wheelpaths. Severe conditions cannot be precisely

TABLE 8.6

TABLE 8.7

39

TABLE 8.8

defined but will consist of a combination of two or more of the

following;

High maximum temperatures

Very heavy axle loads

Very channelled traffic

Stopping or slow moving heavy vehicles

Failure by plastic deformation in continuously graded mixes

occurs very rapidly once the VIM are below 3 per cent therefore
the aim of refusal density design is to ensure that at refusal there
is still at least 3 per cent voids in the mix.
For sites which do not fall into the severe category, the method
can be used to ensure that the maximum binder content for good
durability is obtained. This may be higher than the Marshall
optimum but the requirements for resistance to deformation will
be maintained. Where lower axle loads and higher vehicle
speeds are involved, the minimum VIM at refusal can be reduced
to 2 per cent.
Refusal density can be determined by two methods;
(a) Extended Marshall compaction
(b) Compaction by vibrating hammer

40

Details of the tests and their limitations are given in

Appendix D.

8.4 BITUMINOUS ROADBASES

Satisfactory bituminous roadbases for use in tropical
environments can be made using a variety of specifications.
They need to possess properties similar to bituminous mix
surfacings but whenever they are used in conjunction with such
a surfacing the loading conditions are less severe, hence the
mix requirements are less critical. Nevertheless, the
temperatures of roadbases in the tropics are higher than in
temperate climates and the mixes are therefore more prone to
deformation in early life, and ageing and embattlement later.

8.4.1

Principal mix types

Particle size distributions and general specifications for

continuously graded mixes are given in Table 8.9. No formal
design method is generally available for determining the
optimum composition for these materials because the
maximum particle size and proportions of aggregate greater
than 25 mm precludes the use of the Marshall Test. Suitable
specifications for gap-graded rolled asphalt roadbases are
given in Table 8.10.
All these specifications are recipes which have been developed
from experience and rely on performance data.

TABLE 8.9

TABLE 8.10

41

for their optimum adaptation to local conditions. The following

principles should be adopted for all bituminous layers but are
particularly important for recipe type specifications:
(i)

Trials for mix production, laying and compaction should be

carried out to determine suitable mix proportions and
procedures.

(ii)

Durable mixes require a high degree of compaction and

this is best achieved by specifying density in terms of
maximum theoretical density of the mix or, preferably, by
using a modification of the Percentage Refusal Test with
extended compaction time. (British Standard 598, Part 104
(1989), Powell and Leech (1982)).

(iii) Mixing times and temperatures should be set at the

minimum required to achieve good coating of the
aggregates and satisfactory compaction.
(iv) The highest bitumen content commensurate with adequate
stability should be used.

8.4.2

Sand-bitumen mixes

For light and medium trafficked roads (defined as roads carrying

less than 300 commercial vehicles per day and with mean
equivalent standard axles per vehicle of 0 5 or less) and in areas
lacking coarse aggregates, bitumen-stabilised sands are an
alternative. Best results are achieved with well graded angular
sands in which the proportion of material passing the 0 075 mm
sieve does not exceed ten per cent and is non-plastic. The
bitumen can range from a viscous cutback that will require
heating to a more fluid cutback or emulsion that can be used at
ambient temperatures. The most viscous cutbacks that can be
properly mixed at ambient temperatures are RC or MC 800 or
equivalents In general, the more viscous the bitumen the higher
will be the stability of the mix. The use of penetration grade
bitumens will produce the highest stabilities but this will
necessitate heating the sand as well as the bitumen. An
example has been given by Harris et al (1983).
The amount of bitumen required will generally he between 3 and
6 per cent by weight of the dry sand, the higher proportions
being required with the finer-grained materials.
The Marshall Test can be used for determining the amount of
bitumen required (Asphalt Institute, MS-2 (1988)) Design criteria
are given in Table 8.11 for sand-bitumen mixes used as
roadbase materials for tropical roads carrying medium to light
traffic.

8.5 MANUFACTURE AND

CONSTRUCTION
General guidance on the design, manufacture and testing of
bitumen macadams and rolled asphalts can be found in the
British Standards, BS 4987 (1988) for macadams and BS 594
(1985) and BS 598 (1985) for rolled asphalts. Similar guidance
for asphalt concrete is given in the publications of the Asphalt
Institute, SS-1 (1980), MS-2

42

TABLE 8.11

(1988) and MS-22 (1983), and the US Army Corps of

Engineers (1991).
It is normal practice to carry out preliminary design testing to
determine the suitability of available aggregates and their most
economical combination to produce a job-mix formula. The jobmix particle size distribution should be reasonably parallel to the
specified grading envelope and is the target grading for the mix
to be produced by the asphalt plant. Loss of fines may occur
during the drying and heating phase and, therefore, tests on
aggregates which have passed through the asphalt plant in the
normal way should be used to establish a job-mix formula which
meets the specified Marshall Test criteria.
The importance of detailed compaction trials at the beginning of
asphalt construction work cannot be over emphasised. During
these trials, compaction procedures and compliance of the
production-run asphalt with the job-mix formula should be
established. Adjustments to the job-mix formula and, if
necessary, redesign of the mix are carried out at this stage to
ensure that the final job-mix satisfies the mix design
requirements and can be consistently produced by the plant.
Tolerances are specified for bitumen content and for the
aggregate grading to allow for normal variation in plant
production and sampling. Typical tolerances for single tests
are given in Table 8 12. Good quality control is essential to
obtain durable asphalt and the mean values for a series of
tests should be very close to the job-mix formula which, in turn,
should have a grading entirely within the specified envelope.
Mixing must be accomplished at the lowest temperatures and in
the shortest time that will produce a mix with complete coating
of the aggregate and at a suitable temperature to ensure proper
compaction. The ranges of acceptable mixing and rolling
temperatures are shown in Table 8 13. Very little additional
compaction is achieved at the minimum rolling temperatures
shown in the Table and only pneumatic tyred rollers should be
used at these temperatures.
Rolled asphalts are relatively easy to compact but bitumen
macadams and asphaltic concretes are relatively harsh and
more compactrve effort is required. Heavy pneumatic tyred
rollers are usually employed, the

TABLE 8.12

TABLE 8.13

kneading action of the tyres being important in orientating the

particles. Vibratory compaction has been used successfully but
care is needed in selecting the appropriate frequency and
amplitude of vibration, and control of mix temperature is more
critical than with pneumatic tyred rollers. Steel-wheeled deadweight rollers are relatively inefficient and give rise to a smooth
surface with poor texture but are required to obtain satisfactory
joints. Rolling usually begins near the shoulder and progresses
towards the centre It is important that directional changes of the
roller are made only on cool compacted mix and that each pass
of the roller should be of slightly different length to avoid the
formation of ridges. The number of joints to cold, completed
edges should be minimised by using two pavers in echelon or a
full-width paver to avoid cold joints between adjacent layers. If
this

is not possible, repositioning of the paver from lane to lane

at frequent intervals is another option.
If a layer is allowed to cool before the adjacent layer is placed,
then the Asphalt Institute method of joint formation is
recommended. The edge of the first layer must be `rolled over'
and thoroughly compacted. Before laying the second lane the
cold joint should be broomed if necessary and tack coated.
The paver screed should be set to overlap the first mat by a
sufficient amount to allow the edge of the rolled over layer to be
brought up to the correct level. Coarse aggregates in the
material overlapping the cold joint should be carefully removed.
The remaining fine material will allow a satisfactory joint to be
constructed.

43

9. SURFACE TREATMENTS
9.1

PRIME AND TACK COATS

A prime coat is a thin layer of bitumen sprayed onto the surface

of an existing layer, usually of unbound or cement/lime bound
material. Its purpose can be summarised as follows:

It assists in promoting and maintaining adhesion between

the roadbase and the bituminous surfacing by pre-coating
the surface of the roadbase and by penetrating the voids
near the surface.

It helps to seal the surface pores in the roadbase, thus

reducing the absorption of the first spray of bitumen of
a surface dressing.

It helps to bind the finer particles of aggregate

together in the surface of the roadbase.

If the application of the surfacing is delayed for some

reason, it provides the roadbase with temporary
protection against the detrimental effects of rainfall and
light traffic.

Low viscosity, medium curing cutback bitumens such as MC-30,

MC-70, or in rare circumstances MC-250, can be used for prime
coats (alternatively low viscosity road tar can be used if this is
available). The depth of penetration should be about 3-10 mm
and the quantity sprayed should be such that the surface is dry
within two days. The correct viscosity and application rate are
dependent primarily on the texture and density of the surface
being primed. The application rate is likely to lie within the range
0.3-1 1 kg/m2.
Low viscosity cutbacks are necessary for very dense cement or
lime-stabilised surfaces, and high viscosity cutbacks for
untreated coarse-textured surfaces. It is .usually helpful to spray
the surface lightly with water before applying the prime coat as
this helps to suppress dust and allows the primer to spread more
easily over the surface and to penetrate. Bitumen emulsions are
not suitable for priming because they tend to form a skin on the
surface.
The primary function of a tack coat is to act as a glue to assist
bonding of a new surface layer to a previously primed surface,
bituminous roadbase, or basecourse that has been left exposed
for some time. Tack coats should be extremely thin and it is
appropriate to use a dilute bitumen emulsion spread to give less
than 0.2 kg /M2 of residual bitumen with continuous cover. When
temperature conditions are satisfactory, it is possible to obtain a
thin layer by lightly spraying the undiluted emulsion with a handlance and then spreading it with a pneumatic tyred roller to
obtain complete coverage.

9.2

SURFACE DRESSING

The design of surface dressing is described in detail in Overseas

Road Note 3 (TRRL (1982)). The design

44

should take into account the type of existing road surface, the
traffic, the available chippings and the climate.

9.2.1

Single and double surface dressings

Single surface dressings are normally adequate when applied to

a bituminous layer. To be satisfactory for non-bituminous
surfacings, the quality of a single seal must be very high and
subsequent minor maintenance must be carried out promptly
when required.
It is recommended that double surface dressings are always
used on non-bituminous layers. The quality of a double surface
dressing will be greatly enhanced if traffic is allowed to run on
the first dressing for a minimum period of 2-3 weeks (and
preferably longer) before the second dressing is applied. This
allows the chippings of the first dressing to adopt a stable
interlocking mosaic which provides a firm foundation for the
second dressing. If the trafficking results in the contamination of
the first dressing with mud or soil, this should be thoroughly
cleaned off before the second dressing is applied.
Sand may sometimes be used as an alternative to chippings
for the second dressing. Although this cannot contribute to the
overall thickness of the surfacing, the combination of binder
and sand provides a useful grouting medium for the chippings
of the first seal and helps to hold them in place more firmly if
they are poorly shaped. A slurry seal may also be used for the
same purpose.
A surface dressing applied to the shoulders of paved roads can
be an effective method of improving drainage and reducing
erosion and pavement edge damage. There are several factors
which need to be considered, their importance being dependent
on traffic intensity.

The shoulder material must be suitable for surface

dressing and be strong enough to support stationary,
heavy wheel loads.

Effective 'overbanding' is necessary to give a heavy duty

transition seal between the shoulder and pavement
surface.

Shoulder maintenance by motor grader will not be

possible. Age hardening of the shoulder seal will mean
that maintenance reseals will be required at
approximately five yearly intervals.

Edge markings or the use of different coloured aggregate

will be necessary to delineate the edge of the running
surface.

On uphill grades it may be necessary to use rumble

strips on the shoulders to prevent them being used for
overtaking.

9.2.2 Type of surface

Embedment of the chippings under traffic is dependent upon the
hardness of the layer to be sealed and the size of the chippings.
Assessment of layer hardness can be

TABLE 9.1

TABLE 9.2

based on descriptive definitions or measured using a simple

penetration test probe. Details of surface category, penetration
values, and descriptive definitions are given in Table 9.1. The
probe penetration test is described in Appendix E.

9.2.3

Traffic categories

The volume of traffic is considered in terms of the number of

commercial vehicles per day in the lane under consideration.
The traffic categories are defined in Table 9 2. It should be
noted that these differ from the traffic classes used in the
selection of the pavement structure in Chapter 10.

9.2.4

Chippings

The chippings should comply in all respects with the

requirements in British Standards 63, Part 2 (1987). The size of
chippings should be chosen to suit the level of traffic and the
hardness of the underlying surface as shown in Table 9.3.

In selecting the nominal size of chippings for double surface

dressings, the size of chipping for the first layer should be
selected on the basis of the hardness of the existing surface
and the traffic category as indicated in Table 9 3. The nominal
size of chipping selected for the

TABLE 9.3

45

second layer should then be about half the nominal size of the
first layer to promote good interlock between the layers a g. a 20
mm first layer should be followed by a 10 mm second layer, or a
14 mm first layer should be followed by a 10 mm or 6 mm
second layer.

road temperatures range from 20'C to 70C. The Figure

indicates that the most appropriate binders are likely to be MC
3000 or the penetration grades up to 80/100. If the correct binder
is not available it is sometimes possible to blend suitable
materials on site (Hitch and Stewart (1987)).

In the case of a hard existing surface where little embedment of

the first layer of chippings is possible, such as a newly
constructed cement-stabilised roadbase or a dense crushed rock
roadbase, a 'pad coat' of 6 mm chippings should be applied first
followed by 10 mm or 14 mm chippings in the second layer. The
first layer of small chippings will adhere well to the hard surface
and will provide a 'key' for the larger stone of the second dressing.

To determine the rate of application of binder, an appropriate

factor should be selected from Table 9.4 for each of the four
sets of conditions listed. The four factors are then added
together to give the total weighting factor. The Average Least
Dimension of the chippings and the total weighting factor
obtained from the condition constants in Table 9.4 are then
used with Figure 7 to obtain the rate of application of binder.
Research in Kenya (Hitch, (1981)) has shown that the rate of
spread of binder should be adjusted to take account of road
gradient and traffic speed as indicated in the Figure.

The quantity of chippings must be sufficient to cover the entire

surface of the binder film after rolling. The rate at which
chippings should be spread depends on their size, shape and
specific gravity, but rates can be estimated using Figure 7.
The least dimension of at least 200 chippings should be
measured and the 'Average Least Dimension' (ALD) determined.
An alternative method based on median particle size and
Flakiness Index is described in Overseas Road Note 3 (TRRL
1982)). The ALD is then used in the Figure together with the line
labelled AB and the approximate rate of application of chippings
read from the upper scale. This rate should be used as a guide
for supply purposes. The actual rate of spread should be
adjusted on site when the spreading characteristics of the
chippings have been observed.

9.2.5

Binder

Figure 8 shows the viscosity/road temperature relationships for a

wide range of binders. In the tropics, day-time

Finally the rate of spread of binder needs to be modified to allow

for the different proportions of residual bitumen in the different
binders. No adjustment is needed for MC3000 but for
penetration grade bitumens the spray rate should be reduced by
10 per cent for 80/100 penetration grade and 5 per cent for 300
penetration grade. For emulsions it should be increased by the
factor (90/ bitumen content of the emulsion in per cent).

9.3 SLURRY SEALS

Slurry seals are mixtures of fine aggregates, Portland cement
filler, bitumen emulsions and additional water (ASTM D3910-84
(1990); BS 434, Parts 1 and 2, (1984)). When freshly mixed,
they have a thick consistency and can be spread to a thickness
of 5 to 10 mm. This method of surfacing is not normally used for
new construction because it is more expensive than surface
dressing, it does not provide good surface texture, and it is
considerably less durable.

TABLE 9.4

46

Fig.7 Surface dressing design chart

47

Fig.8 Surface temperature and choice of binder for surface dressing

48

Slurry seals are often used in combination with a surface

dressing to make a 'Cape seal'. In this technique the slurry seal
is applied on top of a single surface dressing to produce a
surface texture which is less harsh than a surface dressing
alone and a surface which is flexible and durable. However, the
combination is more expensive than a double surface dressing
and requires careful control during construction.

Both anionic and cationic emulsions may be used in slurry

seals but cationic emulsion is normally used in slurries
containing acidic aggregates, and its early breaking
characteristics are advantageous when rainfall is likely to
occur. A suitable specification for slurry seals is given in Table
9.5.

TABLE 9.5

49

10. STRUCTURE CATALOGUE

The basis of the catalogue has been described in Section 1.7
and most of the information necessary to use it is contained in
the main chapters of this Road Note. The cells of the catalogue
are defined by ranges of traffic (Chapter 2) and subgrade
strength (Chapter 3) and all the materials are described in
Chapters 6 to 9. A summary of requirements and reference
chapters relevant to each design chart is given in Table 10 1.
Although the thicknesses of layers should follow the designs
whenever possible, some limited substitution of materials
between sub-base and selected fill is allowable based on the
structural number principles outlined in the AASHTO guide for
design of pavement structures (AASHTO (1986)). Where
substitution is allowed, a note is included with the design chart.
The charts are designed so that, wherever possible, the
thickness of each lift of material is obvious. Thus, all layers
less than 200 mm will normally be constructed in

one lift and all layers thicker than 300 mm will be constructed in
two lifts. Occasionally layers are of intermediate thickness and
the decision on lift thickness will depend on the construction
plant available and the ease with which the density in the lower
levels of the lift can be achieved. The thickness of each lift need
not necessarily be identical and it is often better to adjust the
thickness according to the total thickness required and the
maximum particle size by using a combination of gradings from
Table 6.2.
In Charts 3, 4 and 7 where a semi-structural surface is defined,
it is important that the surfacing material should be flexible
(Chapter 8) and the granular roadbase should be of the highest
quality, preferably GB1,A. In traffic classes T6, T7 and T8 only
granular roadbases of type GB1 or GB2 should be used, GB3
is acceptable in the lower traffic classes. For lime or cementstabilised materials, the charts already define the layers for
which the three categories of material may be used.
The choice of chart will depend on a variety of factors but
should be based on minimising total transport costs as

TABLE 10.1

50

discussed in Section 1 3 Factors that will need to be taken into

account in a full evaluation include,

the likely level and timing of maintenance

the probable behaviour of the structure

the experience and skill of the contractors and the

availability of suitable plant

the cost of the different materials that might be used

other risk factors

It is not possible to give detailed guidance on these issues. The

charts have been developed on the basis of reasonable
assumptions concerning the first three of these, as described in
the text, and therefore the initial choice should be based on the
local costs of the feasible options If any information is available
concerning the likely behaviour of the structures under the local
conditions, then a simple risk analysis can also be carried out to
select the most appropriate structure (e g Ellis (1975)). With
more detailed information, it should be possible to calibrate one
of the road investment models such as HDM-111 (Watanatada
et al (1987)) or RTIM-2 (Parsley and Robinson (1982)) and then
to use the model to calculate the whole life costs associated
with each of the possible structures thereby allowing the
optimum choice to be made. For many roads, especially those
that are more lightly trafficked, local experience will dictate the
most appropriate structures and sophisticated analysis will not
be warranted.

51

KEY TO STRUCTURAL CATALOGUE

52

CHART 1

GRANULAR ROADBASE / SURFACE DRESSING

53

CHART 2 COMPOSITE ROAD BASE (UNBOUND & CEMENTED) / SURFACE DRESSING

54

CHART 3

GRANULAR ROADBASE / SEMI-STRUCTURAL SURFACE

55

CHART 4

56

COMPOSITE ROADBASE / SEMI - STRUCTURAL SURFACE

CHART 5

GRANULAR ROADBASE / STRUCTURAL SURFACE

57

CHART 6

58

COMPOSITE ROADBASE / STRUCTURAL SURFACE

CHART 7

BITUMINOUS ROADBASE / SEMI-STRUCTURAL SURFACE

59

CHART 8

60

CEMENTED ROADBASE / SURFACE DRESSING

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AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND

MATERIALS (1990). D3910, Annual Book of ASTM
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CIRIA (1988) Laterite in road pavements. Special

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ANDERSON, M G and D M LLOYD (1991) Using a

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COOK, D J and P SUWANVITAYA (1982) Properties

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ASPHALT INSTITUTE (1980). Model construction

specifications for asphalt concrete and other
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT (1986) Specification

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ASPHALT INSTITUTE (1983). Principles of

construction of hot-mix asphalt pavements Manual
Series No. 22 (MS-22). The Asphalt Institute, College
Park, Maryland.
ASPHALT INSTITUTE (1988) Mix design methods for
asphalt concrete and other hot-mix types Manual Series
No 2 (MS-2) The Asphalt Institute, College Park,
Maryland.
ASPHALT INSTITUTE (1989). The Asphalt
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ASPHALT INSTITUTE (1991). Marshall Mix Design
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Vol 5, No. 3 The Asphalt Institute, College Park, Maryland.
BELL, F G (1987) Ground Engineers Reference Book.
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BISHOP, A W (1955). The use of slip circles in
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BOFINGER, H E, H O HASSAN and R I T WILLIAMS
(1978) The shrinkage of fine grained soil cement. TRRL
Supplementary Report SR 398 Transport and Road
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BRUNTON, J M, S F BROWN and P S PELL (1987).
Developments to the Nottingham Analytical Design ,
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BULLAS, J C and G WEST (1991). Specifying clean,
hard and durable aggregate for bitumen macadam
roadbase TRRL Research Report RR 284 Transport
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DICKINSON, E J (1982). The performance of thin

bituminous pavement surfacings in Australia. Proc.
11th ARRB Conf 11(3) pp. 35-51.
ELLIS, C 1 (1974). Village-scale production of lime in
Ghana TRRL Supplementary Report SR 42 Transport
and Road Research Laboratory, Crowthorne.
ELLIS, C 1 (1975). Risk and pavement design decisions
in developing countries. TRRL Laboratory Report LR 667
Transport and Road Research Laboratory, Crowthorne.
ELLIS, C I (1980). Sod compaction at low moisture
contents. Field trials in the Sudan. Proc. 7th Regional
Conf for Africa on Sod Mechanics and Foundation
Engineering, Accra, Ghana. A A Balkema,
Rotterdam.
GERRITSEN, A H and R C KOOLE (1987) Seven years
experience with the structural aspects of the Shell
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Structural Design of Asphalt Pavements. University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor.
HARRIS, V A P, L S HITCH and J M JOWETT (1983)
Bituminous stabilisation of fine sands construction of the
Baiomori - Gashua road, Nigeria. Proc. Institution of Civil
Engineers, Part 1, 74 pp 277-300. London.
HIGHWAY RESEARCH BOARD (1962) The AASHO
Road Test. Report 5, Pavement Research Highway
Research Board Special Report No 61 E National
Research Council, Washington, DC.
HITCH, L S (1981). Surface dressing in developing
countries research in Kenya. TRRL Laboratory Report
LR 1019, Transport and Road Research Laboratory,
Crowthorne.
HITCH, L S and M STEWART (1987) The preparation of
cut-back bitumens to ASTM specifications by blending
readily available constituents TRRL Research Report RR
104, Transport and Road Research Laboratory,
Crowthorne.

61

M HIZAM HARUN and C R JONES(1992) The performance of polymer modified asphaltic concrete on climbing
lanes in Malaysia. Proc 16th Australian Road Research
Board Conf. ARRB, Melbourne.
HOBAN, T (1990). Modified bitumen binders for surface
dressing. Chemistry and Industry (J. Society of the
Chemical Industry), No 17, pp 538-542. London.
HOWE, J D G F (1972). A review of rural traffic counting
methods in developing countries. RRL Report LR 427,
Road Research Laboratory, Crowthorne.
HOWELL, J H, J E CLARKE, C J LAWRANCE and I
SUNWAR (1991). Vegetation structures for stabilising
highway slopes. A manual for Nepal. Transport and Road
Research Laboratory, Crowthorne.
JACKSON, G P and D BRIEN (1962) Asphaltic concrete.
Shell International Petroleum Company Ltd., London.
LAWRANCE, C J, R J BYARD and P J BEAVEN (1993)
The Terrain Evaluation Manual Transport Research
Laboratory State of the Art Review Her Majesty's
Stationery Office, London.
LEWIS, W A, R T MURRAY and I F SYMONS (1975).
Settlement and stability of embankments constructed on
soft alluvial sods. Proc. Institution of Civil Engineers, Part
2 London.
LIONJANGA, A V, T TOOLE and D NEWILL (1987). The
development of specifications for the use of low-grade
calcretes in lightly trafficked roads in Botswana Transportation Research Record 1106, Vol 1, pp 281-304.
National Research Council, Washington, DC.
MEHTA, P K (1979). The chemistry of cements made
from rice husk ash. Proc. of Workshop on Production of
Cement-Like Materials from Agro-Wastes UNIDOESCAP-RCTT-PCSIR. Peshawar, Pakistan.
MILLARD, R S (1993). Roadmaking in the tropics:
materials and methods. Transport Research Laboratory
State of the Art Review. Her Majesty's Stationery Office,
London.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIAN STATE
ROAD AUTHORITIES (1983). Guide to the control of
moisture in roads NAASRA, Sydney.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIAN STATE
ROAD AUTHORITIES (1986). Guide to stabilisation in
roadworks. NAASRA, Sydney.
NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR TRANSPORT AND ROAD
RESEARCH (1978). The Construction of road embankments. Technical Recommendations for Highways TRH 9.
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria.
NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR TRANSPORT AND ROAD
RESEARCH (1984). Determination of the initial consumption of lime in sod (gravel ICL test). Test method CA 3483. Council for Scientific and Industrial Research,
Pretoria.

62

NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR TRANSPORT AND ROAD

RESEARCH (1986) Cementitious stabilisers inroad
construction Technical Recommendations for Highways
TRH 13. Council for Scientific and Industrial Research,
Pretoria.
NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR TRANSPORT AND ROAD
RESEARCH (1987a). The design of road embankments.
Technical Recommendations for Highways TRH 10
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria.
NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR TRANSPORT AND ROAD
RESEARCH (1987b) The investigation, design, construction and maintenance of road cuttings Technical
Recommendations for Highways TRH 18. Council for
Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria.
NETTERBERG, F (1984). Rapid field test for carbonation
of lime or cement-treated materials. National Institute for
Transport and Road Research Report RSl2/84. Council for
Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria.
NETTERBERG, F and M I PINARD (1991) Derivation of
interim performance-related specifications for coarselygraded plastic calcrete basecourse gravels Proc. 10th
Regional Conference for Africa on Soil Mechanics and
Foundation Engineering, Maseru.
NEWILL, D, R ROBINSON and KASSAYE AKLILU (1987)
Experimental use of cinder gravel on roads in Ethiopia.
Proc 9th Regional Conference for Africa on Sod
Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Lagos, Nigeria A
A Balkema, Rotterdam.
O'CONNELL, M J, J H G WAMBURA and D NEWILL
(1987) Soil compaction at low moisture content in dry
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PAIGE-GREEN, P (1981). Current techniques in
groundwater control applied to cut slopes. Trans Geol
Soc. S. Africa, Vol 84, pp 161-167
PAIGE-GREEN, P, F NETTERBERG and L R SAMPSON
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PARSONS, A W (1993) Compaction of soils and granular
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London.

PARSONS, A W and A F TOOMBS (1987) The precision

of the moisture condition test TRRL Research Report RR
90 Transport and Road Research Laboratory,
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PATERSON, W D O (1987) Road deterioration and
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NUNN (1984). The structural design of bituminous roads
TRRL Laboratory Report LR 1132. Transport and Road
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POWELL, W D and D LEECH (1982) Standards for
compaction of dense roadbase macadam. TRRL Supplementary Report SR 717 Transport and Road Research
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BOLT, J, S G WILLIAMS, C R JONES and H R SMITH
(1987) Performance of a full scale pavement design
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design and performance of bituminous overlays in
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RUSSAM, K and D CRONEY (1960) The moisture
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SAM ESHIMA, T and P M BLACK (1979). Clay index - a
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STRAUSS, P J, V P SERVAS and G P MARAIS

(1984) Unexpected surface cracking of asphaltic
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(1978) Guide to the measurement of axle loads in
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Road Note No 40 Her Majesty's Stationery Office,
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LABORATORY (1982) A guide to surface dressing in
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TRANSPORT AND ROAD RESEARCH LABORATORY
(1988). A guide to road project appraisal Overseas Road
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LABORATORY (1988) A guide to geometric design
Overseas Road Note No 6. TRRL, Crowthorne
US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS (1991) Hot-mix
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WATANATADA, T. C G HARRAL, W D O PATERSON, A
M DHARESHWAR, A BHANDARI and K TSUNOKAWA
(1987) The Highway Design and Maintenance Standards
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Design and Maintenance Standards Series, The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Washington, DC.
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materials of Southern Africa Academica, Pretoria.
WHITEOAK, D (1990) The Shell Bitumen Handbook.
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in lime and cement-stabilised clayey soils Special Report
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BIBLIOGRAPHY

CHEN, F H (1988) Foundations on expansive soils. Pub

Elsevier.
CRONEY, D and P CRONEY (1991). The design
and performance of road pavements. Second
Edition. McGraw Hill International. Maidenhead, UK.
DICKINSON, E J (1985). Bituminous roads in
Australia. Australian Road Research Board, Victoria.
HEAD, K H (1984). Manual of soil laboratory testing.
ELE International Ltd. Pub. Pentech Press, London and
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INGLES, O G AND J B METCALF (1972) Soil
stabilization - Principles and practice.
Butterworths, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
LIME STABILISATION (1987) State of the Art Report No
5. Transportation Research Board, Washington, "DC.
LIME STABILISATION MANUAL (1986). British
Aggregate and Construction Materials Industries,
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NAASRA, Sydney.
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(1978). Shell Pavement Design Manual London.

64

APPENDIX A: APPLICABLE BRITISH STANDARDS

65

66

APPENDIX B: ESTIMATING
SUBGRADE MOISTURE CONTENT
FOR CATEGORY 1 CONDITIONS

To calculate the effective depth D which is used to determine

the applied suction in the pressure plate extractor, the
following equation is used:
D = WT + (SF x t)

The subgrade moisture content under an impermeable road

pavement can increase after construction where a water table
exists close to the ground surface. This ultimate moisture
content can be predicted from the measured relationship
between soil suction and moisture content for the particular soil
and knowledge of the depth of water table.
Measuring the complete relationship between suction and
moisture content is time consuming and a simpler, singlemeasurement procedure can be used. A small sample of soil,
compacted to field density and moisture content, is placed within
suitable laboratory equipment that can apply a pressure
equivalent to the 'effective depth' of the water table (e g. a
pressure plate extractor). The 'effective depth' of the water table
for design purposes comprises the actual depth from the
subgrade to the water table plus an apparent depression of the
water table due to the pressure of the overlying pavement. This
apparent depression varies with soil type and an approximate
correction factor is given in Table B1.

Where WT

depth of water table below subgrade (at its

highest expected seasonal level),

SF

correction factor from Table B1,

pavement thickness,
with consistent units for WT, t, D

When equilibrium is attained in the pressure plate extractor,

the sample is removed and its moisture content measured.
This moisture content is the value at which the CBR for
design should be estimated following standard soil tests as
outlined in Section 3 2.

TABLE B1

67

APPENDIX C: TRL DYNAMIC

CONE PENETROMETER
The TRL Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP), shown in Figure
C1, is an instrument designed for the rapid in situ measurement
of the structural properties of existing road pavements with
unbound granular materials. Continuous measurements can be
made to a depth of 800 mm or to 1200 mm when an extension
rod is fitted.
The underlying principle of the DCP is that the rate of
penetration of the cone, when driven by a standard force, is
inversely related to the strength of the material as measured by,
for example, the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test (see Figure
C2). Where the pavement layers have different strengths, the
boundaries between the layers can be identified and the
thickness of the layers determined. A typical result is shown in
Figure C3.
The DCP needs three operators, one to hold the instrument, one
to raise and drop the weight and a technician to record the
results. The instrument is held vertical and the weight carefully
raised to the handle. Care should be taken to ensure that the
weight is touching the handle, but not lifting the instrument,
before it is allowed to drop and that the operator lets it fall freely
and does not lower it with his hands. If during the test the DCP
tilts from the vertical, no attempt should be made to correct this
as contact between the shaft and the sides of the hole will give
rise to erroneous results. If the angle of the instrument becomes
worse, causing the weight to slide on the hammer shaft and not
fall freely, the test should be abandoned.
It is recommended that a reading should be taken at increments
of penetration of about 10 mm. However it is usually easier to
take readings after a set number of blows It is therefore
necessary to change the number of blows between readings
according to the strength of the layer being penetrated. For good
quality granular roadbases readings every 5 or 10 blows are
normally satisfactory but for weaker sub-base layers and
subgrade readings every 1 or 2 blows may be appropriate.
Little difficulty is normally experienced with the penetration of
most types of granular of weakly stabilised materials. It is more
difficult to penetrate strongly stabilised layers, granular materials
with large particles and very dense, high quality crushed stone.
The TRL instrument has been designed for strong materials and
therefore the operator should persevere with the test.
Penetration rates as low as 0.5 mm/blow are acceptable but if
there is no measurable penetration after 20 consecutive blows it
can be assumed that the DCP will not penetrate the material.
Under these circumstances a hole can be drilled through the
layer using either an electric or pneumatic drill or by coring. The
lower layers of the pavement can then be tested in the normal
way.
DCP results are conveniently processed by computer and a
program has been developed (TRRL (1990)) that is designed to
assist with the interpretation and presentation of DCP data.

68

Fig.C1 TRL Dynamic cone penetrometer

69

Fig.C2 DCP-CBR relationships

70

Fig.C3 DCP test result

71

APPENDIX D: REFUSAL DENSITY

DESIGN

3.1

INTRODUCTION

Some authorities have adopted a procedure of extended

Marshall compaction to design asphalts which will retain a
required minimum voids in the mix (VIM) after secondary
compaction by traffic. An alternative method based on an
extended form of the compaction procedure used in the
Percentage Refusal Density (PRD) Test (BS 598 Part 104
(1989)) uses a vibrating hammer for compaction. These
methods are appropriate for sites which are subject to severe
loading where research shows that it is desirable to retain a
minimum VIM of three per cent to minimise the risk of failure by
plastic deformation. Neither method exactly reproduces the
mode of compaction which occurs under heavy traffic but the
latter procedure is both quicker and more representative. There
are no national or international standards for these procedures
and therefore they are both likely to be subject to further
development.

EXTENDED MARSHALL
COMPACTION

For severe sites, the basecourse gradings, BC1 and BC2,

given in Table 8.3 and Table 8.6 are likely to be the most
appropriate. The normal Marshall design procedure using 75
blows on each face should be completed first to provide an
indication that Marshall design parameters will be met.
The binder content corresponding to 6 per cent VIM obtained in
the Marshall test should be noted and additional test samples
prepared at each of three binder contents, namely the binder
content corresponding to 6 per cent VIM and also binder
contents which are 0 5 per cent above and 0.5 per cent below
this value. These samples must be compacted to refusal.
The number of blows required to produce a refusal condition
will vary from one mix to another It is preferable to conduct a
trial using the lowest binder content and to compact using an
increasing number of blows, say 200, 300, 400, etc. until no
further increase in density occurs. Usually 500 blows on each
face is found to be sufficient.
By plotting a graph of VIM at the refusal density against binder
content the design binder content which corresponds to a VIM
of 3 per cent can be determined. This value should be obtained
by interpolation, not by extrapolation If necessary, the binder
content range should be extended upwards or downwards, as
appropriate, to permit this

72

EXTENDED VIBRATING HAMMER

COMPACTION
Laboratory design procedure

In the vibrating hammer method the samples are compacted in

152-153 mm diameter moulds to a thickness approximately the
same as will be laid on the road. The BS 598 compaction
procedure for the PRD test is repeated if necessary to achieve
an `absolute' refusal density. The electric vibrating hammer
should have a power consumption of 750 watts or more and
operate at a frequency of 20 to 50 Hz. Two tamping feet are
used, one with a diameter of 102 mm and the other of 146 mm.
Samples should be mixed so that they can be compacted
immediately afterwards at an initial temperature of 140 YC for
80/100 penetration grade bitumen or 145 5''C for 60/70
penetration grade bitumen.
The moulds and tamping feet must be pre-heated in an oven
before starting the test. Cooling of the sample by as much as 15
to 20"C during compaction should not prevent achievement of
the correct refusal density. The small tamping foot is used for
most of the compaction sequence. The hammer must be held
firmly in a vertical position and moved from position to position
in the prescribed order, i e using the points of a compass. To
identify the position, the order should be
N,S,W,E,NW,SE,SW,NE or equivalent. At each point,
compaction should continue for between 2 and 10 seconds, the
limiting factor being that material should not be allowed to `push
up' around the compaction foot. The compaction sequence is
continued until a total of 2 minutes 5 seconds of compaction
time has been reached. The large tamping foot is then used to
smooth the surface of the sample.
A spare base-plate, previously heated in the oven, is placed on
top of the mould which is then turned over. The sample is driven
to the new base plate with the hammer and large tamping foot.
The compaction sequence is then repeated. The free base plate
should be returned to the oven between compaction cycles.
This is the standard PRD compaction procedure but to ensure
that the refusal density is reached, it may be necessary to
repeat this procedure a second time. It is suggested that trial
mixes with a bitumen content which corresponds to
approximately 6 per cent VIM in the Marshall test, are used to
(i)

determine the mass of material required to give a

compacted thickness of approximately the same
thickness as for the layer on the road

(ii)

determine the number of compaction cycles which will

ensure that absolute refusal density is achieved.

After these tests have been completed, samples are made

with bitumen contents starting at the Marshall optimum and
decreasing in 0 5 per cent steps until the bitumen content at
which 3 per cent voids is retained at absolute refusal density
can be determined.

3.2

Transfer of laboratory design to

compaction trials

After the standard PRD compaction cycle, test samples of

basecourse or roadbase which have been compacted from the
loose state can be expected to have densities between 1 5 and
3 per cent lower than for the same material compacted in the
road but cored out and subjected to the PRD test. This is an
indication of the effect of the different compaction regime and is
caused by a different resultant orientation of particles. The
differences between the densities for laboratory and field
samples after refusal compaction should be measured to
confirm whether this difference occurs.
A minimum of three trial lengths should be constructed with
bitumen contents at the laboratory optimum for refusal density (3
per cent VIM) and at 0.5 per cent above and 0 5 per cent below
the optimum. These trials should be used to
(i)

determine the rolling pattern required to obtain a

satisfactory density

(ii)

establish that the mix has satisfactory workability to

allow a minimum of 93 per cent of PRD (standard
compaction (BS598.1989)) to be achieved after rolling

(iii)

obtain cores so that the maximum binder content

which allows at least 3 per cent VIM to be retained at
refusal density can be confirmed.

It is essential to provide a surface dressing for the type of

basecourse mixes which are best suited to these severe
conditions. This protects the mix from severe age hardening
during the period when secondary compaction occurs in the
wheelpaths, and also protects those areas which will not be
trafficked and are likely to retain air voids above 5 per cent

POSSIBLE PROBLEMS WITH THE

TEST PROCEDURES

Multi-blow Marshall compaction and vibratory compaction may

cause breakdown of aggregate particles. If this occurs to a
significant extent then the test is unlikely to be valid.
Because of the time taken to complete the Marshall procedure,
considerable care must be taken to prevent excessive cooling of
the sample during compaction.
It is important to note that the different particle orientation
produced by these compaction methods, in comparison with that
produced by roller compaction, limits the use of samples
prepared in these tests to that of determining VIM at refusal It
would be unwise to use samples prepared in this way for fatigue
or creep tests.

For a given aggregate and grading, cores cut from the

compacted layer can be expected to give a constant value of
voids in the mineral aggregate (VMA) at the refusal density,
irrespective of bitumen content. This will allow a suitable
binder content to be chosen to give a minimum of 3 per cent
VIM at refusal density.
A minimum of 93 per cent and a mean value of 95 per cent of
the standard PRD density is recommended as the specification
for density on completion of compaction of the layer. From these
trials and the results of laboratory tests, it is then possible to
establish a job mix formula. This initial procedure is time
consuming, but is justified by the long term savings in extended
pavement service life that can be obtained. After this initial work,
subsequent compliance testing based on analysis of mix
composition and refusal density should be quick, especially if
field compaction can be monitored with a nuclear density gauge.

73

APPENDIX E: THE PROBE

PENETRATION TEST
1

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

This test utilises a modified sod assessment cone penetrometer

originally designed by the UK Military Engineering Experimental
Establishment for the assessment of in situ soil strength. The
standard cone normally used with this penetrometer is replaced by
a 4 mm diameter probe rod with a hemispherical tip made of
hardened steel. The probe is forced into the road surface under a
load of 35 kgf (343N) applied for 10 seconds and the depth of
penetration is measured by a spring loaded collar that slides up
the probe rod. The distance the collar has moved is measured
with a modified dial gauge. The temperature of the road surface is
recorded and a graphical method is used to correct the probe
measurements to their equivalents at a standard temperature of
WC.

METHOD OF OPERATION

All measurements are made in the nearside wheelpath of each

traffic lane where maximum embedment of chippings can be
expected. A minimum of ten measurements are required at each
location. These should be evenly spaced along the road at
intervals of 0 5m with any recently repaired or patched areas
being ignored. For convenience, the measurement points can be
marked with a chalk cross. The probe tip should not be centred on
any large stones present in the road surface.
Before each measurement the collar is slid down the probe rod
until it is flush with the end of the probe. The probe is then
centred on the measurement mark and a pressure of 35 kgf is
applied for 10 seconds, care being taken to keep the probe
vertical. The probe is then lifted clear and the distance the collar
has slid up the probe is recorded in millimetres. Sometimes the
point selected for test is below the general level of the
surrounding road surface. It is then necessary to deduct the
measurement of the initial projection of the probe tip from the
final figure.
The road surface temperature should be measured at the same
time that the probe is used and the tests should not be made
when the surface temperature exceeds 35C. In many tropical
countries this will limit probe testing to the early morning. The
probe readings are corrected to a standard temperature of 30C
using Figure E1, and the mean of ten probe measurements is
calculated and reported as the mean penetration at 30=C.
Categories of road surface hardness and the corresponding
ranges of penetration values are shown in Chapter 9 2.

74

Fig.E1 Correction of road surface hardness to the standard test temperature of 30 C

75

A guide to the structural design of

bitumen-surfaced roads in tropical
and sub-tropical countries

ORN 31

ISSN 0951-8797

OS-E