CBR Procedure

CALIFORNIA BEARING RATIO TEST
1. Objective
CBR is the ratio expressed in percentage of force per unit area required to penetrate a soil mass
with a standard circular plunger of 50 mm diameter at the rate of 1.25 mm/min to that required for
corresponding penetration in a standard material. The ratio is usually determined for penetration of
2.5 and 5 mm . When the ratio at 5 mm is consistently higher than that at 2.5 mm, the ratio at 5
mm is used.
The following table gives the standard loads adopted for different penetrations for the standard
material with a C.B.R. value of 100%.
Penetration of Plunger (mm) Standard Load (kg)
2.5 1370
5.0 2055
Table 1 : Standard Load Values at Penetration
For Railway Formation purpose, the test is performed on remoulded specimens which are
compacted dynamically.
The methodology covers the laboratory method for the determination of C.B.R. of remoulded
/compacted soil specimens in soaked state.
2. Apparatus Required
Fig. 1: CBR Test Apparatus
Consisting of Loading machine with capacity of atleast

5000 kg and equipped with a movable head or base which
enables Plunger of 50 mm dia. to penetrate into the
specimen at a rate of 1.25 mm/ minute.
Fig. 2: CBR Mould with Base Plate, Stay Rod and Wing Nut
Cylindrical mould:
Inside dia. 150mm and height 175mm with a detachable
perforated base plate of 235mm dia. and 10mm thickness.
Net capacity - 2250 ml; conforming to IS- 9669:1980
(Reaffirmed- 2016).
Collar
A detachable extension collar of 60 mm height.
Spacer Disc
148 mm in diameter and 47.7 mm in height along with
handle.
Weights
One annular metal weight and several slotted weights
weighing 2.5 kg each, 147 mm in diameter, with a central
hole 53 mm in diameter.
Weights
Fig. 3: Compaction Rammer
Weight - 4.89 kg with a drop 450 mm.
3. Reference
IS 2720(Part 16):1987 Methods of test for soils: Laboratory determination of CBR (second revision).
Reaffirmed- Dec 2016.
RDSO Specification No. RDSO/2020/GE:IRS- 0004 - September 2020 - Comprehensive Guidelines and
Specification for Railway Formation
4. Procedure
Preparation Of Test Specimen:
1. Remoulded specimens are prepared in the laboratory by compaction. The

material used in the remoulded specimen shall pass 19 mm I.S. sieve. Allowance
for large material shall be made by replacing it by an equal amount of material
which passes a 19mm I.S.Sieve but is retained on 4.75 mm sieve.
2. The dry density for a remoulding shall be either the field density or the value of
the maximum dry density estimated by the compaction test (Heavy Compaction
Test as per IS 2720 (Part-8) - 1983, for Railway Formation). The water content
used for compaction shall be the optimum water content or the field moisture as
the case may be.
3. Dynamic Compaction: A representative sample of the soil weighing

approximately 4.5 kg or more for fine grained soil and 5.5 kg or more for granular
soil shall be taken and mixed thoroughly with water. If the soil is to be
compacted to the maximum dry density at the optimum moisture content, the
exact mass of the soil required shall be taken and the necessary quantity of
water added so that the water content of the soil sample is equal to the
determined optimum moisture content.
4. Fix the extension collar and the base plate to the mould. Insert the spacer disc
over the base. Place the filter paper on the top of the spacer disc.
5. Apply Lubricating Oil to the inner side of the mould. Compact the mix soil in the
mould using heavy compaction. i.e. compact the soil in 5 layers with 55 blows to
each layer by the 4.89 kg rammer.
6. Remove the extension collar and trim the compacted soil carefully at the level
of top of mould, by means of a straight edge. Any holes developed on the
surface of the compacted soil by removal of the coarse material, shall be
patched with the smaller size material. Remove the perforated base plate, Spacer
disc and filter paper and record the mass of the mould and compacted soil
specimen. Place a disc of coarse filter paper on the perforated base plate, invert
the mould and compacted soil and clamp the perforated base plate to the mould
with the compacted soil in contact with the filter paper.
7. Place a filter paper over the specimen and place perforated plate on the
compacted soil specimen in the mould. Put annular weights to produce a
surcharge equal to weight of base material and pavement, to the nearest 2.5 kg.
8. Immerse the mould assembly and weights in a tank of water and soak it for 96
hours. Mount the tripod for expansion measuring device on the edge of the
mould and record initial dial gauge reading. Note down the readings every day
against time of reading. A constant water level shall be maintained in the tank
throughout the period.
9. At the end of soaking period, note down the final reading of the dial gauge and
take the mould out of water tank.
10. Remove the perforated plate and the top filter paper. Weigh the soaked soil
sample and record the weight.
Procedure For Penetration Test
1. Place the mould assembly with test specimen on the lower plate of penetration testing
machine. To prevent upheaval of soil into the hole of the surcharge weights, 2.5 kg annular
weight shall be placed on the soil surface prior to seating the penetration plunger after
which the remainder of the surcharge weights shall be placed.
2. Seat the penetration piston at the center of the specimen with the smallest possible load,
but in no case in excess of 4 kg so that full contact of the piston on the sample is
established.
3. Set the load and deformation gauges to read zero. Apply the load on the piston so that the
penetration rate is about 1.25 mm/min.
4. Record the load readings at penetrations of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 4.0, 5.0, 7.5, 10 and 12.5
mm.
5. Raise the plunger and detach the mould from the loading equipment. Take about 20 to 50 g
of soil from the top 30 mm layer and determine the moisture content.
5. Observation And Recording

Penetration(mm) Applied Load (kg)
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
4.00
5.00
7.50
10.00
12.50
Table 2 : Recordings during CBR Test
6. Calculation
1. If the initial portion of the curve is concave upwards, apply correction by drawing a tangent
to the curve at the point of greatest slope and shift the origin. Find and record the correct
load reading corresponding to each penetration.
C.B.R. = (PT/PS) X 100
where PT = Corrected test load corresponding to the chosen penetration from the load
penetration curve.
PS = Standard load for the same penetration taken from the table above.
2. C.B.R. of specimen at 2.5 mm penetration =
3. C.B.R. of specimen at 5.0 mm penetration =
4. The C.B.R. values are usually calculated for penetration of 2.5 mm and 5 mm. Generally the
C.B.R. value at 2.5 mm will be greater than at 5 mm and in such a case/the former shall be
taken as C.B.R. for design purpose. If C.B.R. for 5 mm exceeds that for 2.5 mm, the test
should be repeated. If identical results follow, the C.B.R. corresponding to 5 mm penetration
should be taken for design.
7. Graph
Draw graph between Load versus Penetration.
Fig. 4 : Plot of Load versus Settlement

8. Video
California Bearing Ratio Test

CBR Procedure

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

CBR Procedure

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

CBR Procedure

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

CALIFORNIA BEARING RATIO TEST

Fig. 1: CBR Test Apparatus

Consisting of Loading machine with capacity of atleast

Weight - 4.89 kg with a drop 450 mm.

1. Remoulded specimens are prepared in the laboratory by compaction. The

3. Dynamic Compaction: A representative sample of the soil weighing

Procedure For Penetration Test

5. Observation And Recording

Table 2 : Recordings during CBR Test

C.B.R. = (PT/PS) X 100

Fig. 4 : Plot of Load versus Settlement

You might also like