Moisture Content-Based Longitudinal Cracking Prediction and Evaluation Model for Low-Volume Roads over Expansive Soils
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 27, Issue 10
Abstract
This paper summarizes a methodology for using moisture content (MC) together with soil index properties to study and predict the progression of longitudinal shrinkage cracking (LSC) along low-volume roads through finite-element analysis. Extensive laboratory tests were performed on soil samples retrieved from six representative clayey sites in Texas, including five high plasticity index (PI greater than 25) sites and one low-PI site. Field measurements of moisture content, suction, and crack development were carried out at five representative farm-to-market roads constructed over the high-PI clayey materials in southern and eastern regions of Texas for verification. Compared to the prevailing suction-based approach, the MC-based approach offers more flexibility in terms of incorporating different drying/wetting paths into numerical modeling by laboratory-based material constitutive models. The estimated critical moisture content thresholds and locations of LSC showed good agreement with the field measurements. It was found that the most crucial steps in improving the overall performance of low-volume roads built over expansive soils are to enhance subgrade mechanical properties and to minimize subgrade moisture fluctuations, as opposed to an overly conservative pavement structure.
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Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge TxDOT for financial support of this research and the valuable guidance and input of many TxDOT personnel. The authors acknowledge Mr. Anup Sabnis, Dr. Thammanoon Manosuthkij, and Ms. Lourdes Pacheco for their valuable contribution in laboratory and field testing.
References
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 27 • Issue 10 • October 2015
Copyright
This work is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
History
Received: Feb 17, 2014
Accepted: Oct 7, 2014
Published online: Dec 11, 2014
Discussion open until: May 11, 2015
Published in print: Oct 1, 2015
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