Investigation of Various Pavement Repairs in Low-Volume Roads over Expansive Soil
This article has been corrected.
VIEW CORRECTIONPublication: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 29, Issue 6
Abstract
Expansive soil is one of the most common causes of pavement distress. Expansive soils undergo changes in volume due to moisture fluctuations from seasonal variations. These changes are reflected in the stability and performance of pavement layers. The objective of this research is to evaluate existing repair projects on selected farm-to-market (FM) roadways. Those roadways experienced failures in the form of fatigue and rutting along the wheel path, and longitudinal (faulted) cracking, including edge cracking. Those failures are due to high-plasticity expansive soil and narrow pavement lanes. This research study implemented visual survey, field and laboratory testing, ground penetrating radar (GPR) scanning, and structural design evaluations for three project sites to evaluate existing pavement treatment options. Using up to 14 years of performance records, this study suggested that geogrid reinforcement combined with lime-treatment is an effective repair at areas with low to moderate plasticity soil. Also, cement-treated base is found to be an effective treatment option in areas with high-plasticity expansive soil.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the TxDOT office of Research and Innovative for providing the financial support and technical guidance to complete this study. Special thanks go to Drs. Mijia Yang, Tom Freeman, and Mien Jao for their contribution to the research study.
References
ASTM. (2008). “Standard test methods for determination of the soil water characteristic curve for desorption using a hanging column, pressure extractor, chilled mirror hygrometer, and/or centrifuge.” D6836-02, West Conshohocken, PA.
Barbu, B. G., and Scullion, T. (2006). “Repeatability and reproducibility study for tube suction test.”, Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX.
Chen, D. H. (2007). “Field and lab investigations of prematurely cracking pavements.” J. Perform. Constr. Facil., 293–301.
Chen, D. H., Si, Z., and Saribudak, M. (2009). “Roadway heaving caused by high organic matter.” J. Perform. Constr. Facil., 100–108.
Dessouky, S., et al. (2012). “Pavement repair strategies for 2 R and routine maintenance (RMC) projects.”, Technical Rep. for Texas Dept. of Transportation, Univ. of Texas at San Antonio, TX.
Fernando, E. G., Oh, J. H., and Liu, W. (2007). “LoadGage user’s guide.”, Texas Transportation Institute, Texas A&M Univ. System, College Station, TX.
Freeman, T. J., and Little, D. N. (2002). “Maintenance strategies for pavements with chemically stabilized layers.”, Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX.
Harris, P. (2008). “Evaluation of stabilization of sulfate soils in Texas.”, Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX.
Jayatilaka, R., and Lytton, R. L. (1997). “Prediction of expansive clay roughness in pavements with vertical moisture barriers.”, Texas Transportation Institute, Texas A&M Univ., College Station, TX.
Little, D. N. (1995). Handbook for stabilization of pavement subgrades and base courses with lime, Kendall Hunt, Dubuque, IA.
Liu, W., and Scullion, T. (2001) “MODULUS 6.0 for windows: User’s manual.” Research Rep. 1869-2, Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX.
Liu, W., and Scullion, T. (2009). “PAVECHECK: Training material-updated user’s manual including GPS.”, Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX.
Michalak, C. H., and Scullion, T. (1995). “Modulus 5.0: User’s manual.”, Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX.
Nelson, D. J., and Miller, J. D. (1992). Expansive soils: Problems and practice in foundation and pavement engineering, Wiley, New York.
Puppala, A. J., Intharasombat, N., and Qasim, S. (2004). “The effects of using compost as a preventive measure to mitigate shoulder cracking: Laboratory and field studies.”, Univ. of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX.
Scullion, T., Sebesta, S., Harris, J. P., and Syed, I. (2000). “A balanced approach to selecting the optimal cement content for soil-cement bases.”, Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX.
Sebesta, S. (2002). “Reworking base.” Presented at 2002 Statewide Maintenance Conf., Texas Dept. of Transportation, Austin, TX.
Sebesta, S. (2004). “Finalization of guidelines for maintenance treatments of pavement distress.”, Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX.
Steinberg, M. L. (1992). “Vertical moisture barrier update.”, Transportation Research Board, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, DC, 111–117.
Wattanasanticharoen, E. (2000). “Investigation to evaluate the performance of four selected stabilization methods on soft subgrade soils of southeast Arlington.” M.S. thesis, Univ. of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX.
Zornberg, J. G., et al. (2008). “Validating mechanisms in geosynthetic reinforced pavements.”, Center for Transportation Research, Austin, TX.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 9, 2013
Accepted: May 1, 2014
Published online: Sep 16, 2014
Discussion open until: Feb 16, 2015
Published in print: Dec 1, 2015
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.