THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH

PACIFIC
School of technology, engineering mathematics
and physics

CV311-Geotechnical engineering lab 5

California Bearing Ratio Test

NAME: Carlson Legumana

ID: s11178984
Session-Monday 9 am
Year 3-bachelor of civil engineering
Course coordinator: Mr. Thomas Kishore
 INTRODUCTION

The California bearing ratio test is a penetration test that was used for the evaluation of subgrade
strength of roads and pavements. This method was first discovered by the California state highway
department and is used as an arbitrary strength test which is used to stress soil and replicate loads.
The CBR test results are usually obtained to evaluate and make any changes necessary prior to any
proposed road project. The CBR test functions by measuring the pressure required to penetrate a
soil sample with a plunger of standard area. The measured pressure is then divided by the pressure
required to achieve an equal penetration on a standard crush rock material [1]. CBR test penetration
is also used to determine the thickness of pavement design. However, there are two method
generally used in design of pavement by the use of CBR test. Firstly, the recommended method
from the California state of highway and CBR recommended by the Indian Road Congress (ICR).
In the CBR recommended by the California state of highway design of pavement requires CBR
test value of each sub-layer of the pavement such as the sub surface, sub-base, subgrade and also
the traffic loads in order to meet specification of the design. For the CBR recommended by ICR
its almost the same with the California state highway procedure except that they use traffic
intensity instead of traffic loads to design pavement against the CBR test value obtain [2]. As
mentioned CBR tests the pressure required to penetrate a soil sample, the harder the surface the
higher the CBR value [3]. Typically, a CBR value of 2% usually represents clay soil type, while
some sands have a CBR value 10 % and high-quality sub base correspond to CBR value ranging
from 80-100% [4].
 AIM

The objective is to determine the California bearing ratio value of a soil sample by conducting load
penetration test.

APPARATUS/EQUIPMENT

➢ Cylindrical mold extension collar 50 mm height and a detachable perforated base plate 10
mm thick
➢ Spacer disc 148 mm in diameter and 47.7 mm in height along with the handle

➢ Metal rammers. Weight 2.6 kg with a drop of 310 mm (or) weight 4.89 kg a drop 450 mm.
➢ 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.

➢ Loading machine. With a capacity of at least 5000 kg and equipped with a movable head
or base that travels at a uniform rate of 1.25 mm/min. Complete with load indicating device.

➢ Metal penetration piston 50 mm diameter and minimum of 100 mm in length.

➢Two dial gauges reading to 0.01 mm.
➢Miscellaneous apparatus, such as a mixing bowl, straight edge, scales soaking tank or pan,
drying
 PROCEDURE

1. Soil sample was condition in a tray with 200 ml of water until the soil sample reaches its
maximum moisture content.
2. The main mold was removed from the platform by releasing the screw from the compaction
mold. A spacer dick and filter were placed on the mold and the mold was placed back in
the compaction mold. Soil was then added to the compaction mold and was compacted into
3 layers each with 25 blows. For the third layer the upper portion of the mold was added
and the same 25 blows were done with the third layer.
3. After that the upper portion of compaction was removed and remaining soils were scrape
off from the mold.
4. The compaction mold was removed from the platform and the compacted soil with the
mold was weighed and was recorded.
5. The mold was placed back to the platform now without the spacer disk
6. Then the sample was tested by placing the mold into the machine by loading the first disk
before the second disk then the detection was turn on.
7. The stress and strain dial gauge were set to zero and the load on the piston was applied so
that the penetration rate is 1.25 mm/min
8. Then the load correspond to each penetration were recorded
9. The mold was removed from the machine and about 20 to 50 g of soil were taken to be
oven dried.
 DIAGRAM/EXPERIMENT SETUP

Figure 1 CBR test equipment’s Figure 2 Weighing of mold

Source: internet Source: camera

Figure 4 soil sample ready to be compacted

Source: camera
Figure
Figure 53 detaching thesoil
weighing of upper portion of the mold
sample
Source:
Source: camera
camera

RESULTS/DATA

Dynamic compaction
Table 1 results from dynamic compaction

Results
Optimum water content (%) 15 %
Weight of empty mold 3.04 kg
Weight of mold +compacted specimen 5.28 kg
Weight of compacted specimen 2.24 kg
Volume of specimen 1370 cm3
Bulk density 0.00164 kg/cm3
Dry density
Table 2 results from penetration test

No. Penetration Proving dial Load in KG Axial load

(mm) reading (KG/cm2)
1 0.5 20 45.30 2.4
2 1.0 17 38.50 2.0
3 1.5 16 36.24 1.90
4 2.0 15 33.98 1.76
5 2.5 18 40.77 2.13
6 3.0 21 47.57 2.50
7 3.5 23 52.1 2.73
8 4 24 54.37 2.85
9 5 25 56.63 2.97
10 7.5 26 58.90 3.1
11 10 34 77.0 4.0
12 12.5 43 97.40 5.1
 CALCULATIONS
𝑀2 − 𝑀1 (5.28 − 3.04)𝐾𝑔 2.24 𝑘𝑔 𝒌𝒈⁄
𝐵𝑢𝑙𝑘 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 (𝑒) = = = = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟏𝟔𝟒
𝑉 1370 𝑐𝑚 3 1370 𝑐𝑚 3 𝒄𝒎𝟑

Graph
 graph of axial load vs penetration
6

5.1
5

4
4
Axial load (kg/cm2)

3 3.1
3 2.85 2.97
3 2.73
2.5

2.13 2.13

2 1.76

0.28
0 0
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
penetration (mm)

Figure 6 shows the graph of axial load vs penetration.

Load corresponding to 2.5mm penetration (Pr)

𝐶𝐵𝑅 (2.5𝑚𝑚) = × 100
Standard Load corresponding to 2.5mm penetration (Ps)
1.76
𝐶𝐵𝑅 = × 100 = 𝟐. 𝟓𝟏
70

3
𝐶𝐵𝑅 = × 100 = 𝟐. 𝟖𝟔
105
 DISCUSSION

The lab performed was based on California bearing test which includes compaction of soil and
was tested on the penetration machine in which the load and axial load were obtained. The graph
in figure 6 as you can see was plotted only for value started with penetration of 2 mm, this is
because the value before 2 mm penetration gives an irregular form of the graph hence was not
involved in the graph. From that the graph was extrapolated backward which cuts y axis at 0.28.
Thus, for CBR 2.5 mm and 5 mm was obtained from the as shown. With the axial load obtained,
the CBR for 2.5 mm and 5 mm were calculated with the given formula and the final value are
given as 2.51% and 2.86% respectively. The respective value for these CBR obtain while
compared to ranges of theoretical CBR value shows that the soil type falls within clayey soil,
which shows that this type of soil is not suitable for pavement construction due to its plastic nature
and are unstable when build on. The clayey soil frequently change shape temporary or permanently
when wet, thus making it unsuitable and makes it challenging for most construction. The CBR test
as known is used purposely to measure the soil resistance penetration before reaching its highest
ultimate value of a shearing, also to evaluate the subgrade strength of roads and pavement, the
CBR test value can also be also used as index of soil strength and its bearing capacity and finally
the CBR test results can be represented in imperial curves which are used to determine the
thickness of pavement and various component layers of pavement. Based on the usefulness of the
CBR test, CBR test is performed for various soils and gravels before any constructions can be
carried soil strength and bearing capacity and after all is used to determine the pavement thickness
as well. Hence, CBR test plays an important role the construction and development of structures
as it ensures that pavement built is efficient and productive in a long run.

CONCLUSION
To conclude, this experiment performed was based on the California bearing test and the CBR
values obtain for the soil sample suggest that the soil type is a clayey soil and hence it is unstable
and unsuitable for use on a pavement design as clayey soil plastic in nature and easy deformed and
change shape when they are wet. Overall CBR test is a vital engineering test that must be
performed prior to constructing any pavements as it will help engineers to build a safe, efficient
and economical structure.

Sources of error

The sources of error faced in this experiment includes parallax errors associated with of the dial
gauge while doing the penetration test, errors from compaction that includes inaccurate number of
blows, and even the water content that was added to the soil maybe less or more than was
expecting. Thus, all these errors contributed significantly to the inaccuracy of this experiment and
can be seen from the curve that was plotted as well.

REFERENCE

[1 Southern testing, "CBR test," [Online]. Available:

] https://www.southerntesting.co.uk/services/ground-site-investigation-consultants/cbr-
test/#:~:text=The%20CBR%20test%20is%20performed,the%20higher%20the%20CBR%20value..
[Accessed 26 4 2022].

[2 Theconstructor, "Flexible pavement design by california bearing ratio (CBR) method," [Online].
] Available: https://theconstructor.org/transportation/flexible-pavement-design-cbr-method/11442/.
[Accessed 26 4 2022].

[3 EMS geotech, "CBR Testing," [Online]. Available: https://www.ems-geotech.co.uk/cbr-

] testing/#:~:text=CBR%20testing%20is%20undertaken%20for,any%20precautions%20for%20frost%2
0heave.. [Accessed 26 4 2022].

[4 Southern testing, "CBR test," [Online]. Available:

] https://www.southerntesting.co.uk/services/ground-site-investigation-consultants/cbr-
test/#:~:text=The%20harder%20the%20surface%2C%20the,maximum%20particle%20size%20of%20
20mm.. [Accessed 26 4 2022].