Forensic Investigation of a Sulfate-Heaved Project in Texas
Publication: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 19, Issue 4
Abstract
This paper focuses on the cause, possible solutions, and future prevention of pavement heave at a new construction project. We speculated that heaving on the east side of the project was caused by a reaction between the lime stabilizer and minerals in the soil. Because of a difference in soil chemistry, the west side of the project (which was still under construction) did not show evidence of heaving. A forensic investigation was initiated to test our hypothesis. The findings of the investigation concluded that the cause of the heaving on the east side of the road was related to the formation of the expansive mineral, ettringite. Ettringite formed due to the reaction of the lime stabilizer with seams of high sulfate soil on the east side. Laboratory testing did not find any effective stabilizer for the high-sulfate soils on the east side. Therefore, reconstruction would involve removing and replacing the treated layer with a select material that has less than sulfates. Test results indicate that there was no threat of sulfate heave on the west side. District personnel had performed the field conductivity tests to evaluate and monitor the concentration of the sulfate content on the remaining project. The treatment of mellowing period/3% lime treatment was employed on the west side. The whole project has been completed for and no heave has been observed.
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Acknowledgments
Many individuals have assisted with the data collection and analyses used in this report. The writers would like to express their sincere appreciation to Sekhar Rebala, James Godwin, Al Aramoon, Jerry Blakemore, and Miguel Arellano of TxDOT. Personnel from the Paris district such as Bobby Littlefield, Bobby Jones, James Hutchison, Michael Williams, Kerry Hansford, and Kevin Harris helped with the data collection.
References
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© 2005 ASCE.
History
Received: Dec 18, 2003
Accepted: May 28, 2004
Published online: Nov 1, 2005
Published in print: Nov 2005
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