MRTS 04 Earthworks - Background Research

incorporated into the specification

August 2016
Dr Burt Look

2016 Engineering Technology Forum

 Paper Outline

The background research data of MRS04 "Earthworks" specification will be

presented. This includes material selection, with construction requirements to
minimise future road maintenance. Data will be presented on the following aspects:-

The use of weighted plasticity index as a screening tool. This parameter was
calibrated against other indices to determine the material classification.

The concept of equilibrium moisture conditions to reduce future road maintenance

associated with expansive clays. Road performance for several sites and over
several years were used to assess this requirement.

Control measures as upper characteristic values for compaction control and zoned
embankments
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 Acknowledgements

A 2015/2016 update / review of MRS04 “Earthworks” Specification was coordinated by

 Siva Sivakumar, Manager (Geotechnical Engineering),

 Lalith Welikala (Director, Geotechnical Section)
 Peter Evans Deputy Chief Engineer Pavements, Materials and Geotechnical

However some of this data acquisition occurred when I was at the (then called)
”Materials and Geotechnical Services Branch” in the early 1990s under the direction of:-

 Ian Reeves (Principal Advisor)

 Bob Drew (Branch Manager)

My sincere thanks to both of them for their vision and supporting my part time PhD
research while working at Main Roads. The topic was “The effect of volumetrically
active clays on roadway performance”

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 Cost of damage from reactive clays
o Slow rate of movement makes this form, of instability less dramatic and not directly responsible for human life

o Considine (1984): More than 50,000 houses cracked each year in Australia, which accounted for approximately
80% of all housing insurance claims. This was prior to AS 2870 (1986 – first version) Standard for Residential
Slabs and Footings

o Bryant (1991): 14% of damage to family or commercial dwellings + 50% of damage to highways and streets
o US $10 billion (1989) damage annually

o Look, (1992): Maintenance costs of roads on reactive clays for Queensland is 2½ times the cost for roads on
other types of materials

$265 Million
$211 Million 1990 – Qld
Maintenance Main Roads $
Construction & Applied
Rehabilitation

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 Main Roads Reports with / without PLI test Testing
provides
increased
confidence

Without PLI
With Point Load Index Test

36% Increase of
ALLOWABLE BEARING CAPACITY

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 Basic Considerations

• Rainfall
Climate • Evaporation  Soil Suction

• Residual Soils -> Weighted Plasticity Index

Soil Type • Transported Soils

• Large size
Area • Differences

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 Queensland Climate Regions

Location Temperature Rainfall Evaporation

(Queensland) (˚ C) (mm) (mm)
Cape York 26.5 1431 2216
Tropical
Far North 24.4 1250 1999

Gulf 26.6 855 2549

North West 25.2 534 2775

Central 21.6 692 1997

Central West 23.6 362 2914

South East 19.4 1135 1553

South West 21.6 383 2588 Arid

Wide Bay
Burnett
20.5 862 1715 Temperate
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 Climate based rock weathering

> 50 % Soil
Central
West

Fookes
1997
Zones of weathering
Cape York Fookes 1997

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Peltier, 1950 with relative Australian Climates
 Weighted Plasticity Index

WPI = PI × % passing 425 micron sieve

o Evolved from observation that some high PI results could be in rock

– At one site PI > 40% observed yet over 80% material discarded in test. An expansive “rocky”
site means the PI by itself can be misleading
– Relevant to residual soils which dominate the Australian landscape

o PI test carried out on % passing the 425 micron sieve, i.e. some of the sample is discarded. The
WPI was intended to be little extra effort (almost cost neutral) except to
– Weigh and report on the % of total sample used in test.

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 Weighted Plasticity Index (146 samples in residual clays)

> 4200
5%
3200 - 4200
10%

2200 - 3200 Following slide has

13% expanded data X 2
< 1200 145 – 280 samples
53%
1200 - 2200
19%

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 Comparison of WPI and PI criteria
Plasticity (PI) Criteria Weighted Plasticity Index (WPI)
Potential for Volume
Typical PI Change
Likelihood WPI Likelihood
range
< 12% 20.2% < 1200 51.4% Low+
12% ≤ PI < 1200 ≤ WPI <
31.8% 17.9% Medium
22% 2200
22% ≤ PI < 2200 ≤ WPI <
21.6% 13.9% High
32% 3200
PI ≥ 32% 26.4% ≥ 3200 16.8% Very High

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 Comparison with CBR swell with WPI

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 WPI Classification with design considerations

Potential for CBR Swell Design CBR Swell (%)

Class Application
Volume Change (%) Considerations (Austroads, 2007)

Very Low < 0.5% Suitable paving material Data

Strength governs
A Low < 2% May be used for capping material < 0.5%
Strength /
Movement Strength governs but some movement
B Medium 2 – 3.5% 0.5 – 2.5%
controls may apply for major roads

Unsuitable directly below pavement.

C High 3.5% - 5% Movement 2.5 - 5.0%
Consider geotextiles
governs
D Very High ≥ 5% Replace and /or stabilise 5.0%

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 Clause 14.2.2 General Fill

Material Description WPI PI (%) % passing 0.075 mm AS sieve

General fill material Class A < 1200 ≥7 15 – 30

General fill material Class B 1200 < 2200 - -

Outer zone criteria being mixed up with
Class of material
General fill material Class C 2200 < 3200 - -

General fill material Class D* 3200 < 4000 ≤ 50 -

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 C2C-C has 71.4% Class A
PI

WPI

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 14.2.2 General Fill - Revised

WPI screening criteria

X
Outer zone criteria

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 Equilibrium Moisture Content (Notes /Considerations only)

OMC varies about 10% to 20% of

mean due to testing variation

WPI

EMC

EMC
Range
Climate
Specified
Testing
Variation

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 Soil suction measurements

Soil suction (pF)

2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
0 1.3mPavement
0.8m Pavement Eumundi
-0.5
Linkfield Rd
-1
Shale
Depth (m)

-1.5
Clay
-2
-2.5 Depth of Active Zone
-3
-3.5
-4
BH 4 (Linkfield Rd) BH 1 (Linkfield Rd)
Bh 60 (Eumundi) BH 59 (Eumundi)

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 Climatic zones for South East Queensland

X
3

D = Drainage
d = Moisture deficit
Ep = Potential evapotranspiration

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 TMI  Suction changes with Depth

Climatic Zone Climatic ∆u, pF Equilibrium Soil

Description suction, pF

1 Alpine/wet coastal 1.2 3.6

2 Wet temperate 1.2 3.8

3 Temperate 1.2 – 1.5 4.1

4 Dry temperate 1.2 – 1.5 4.2

5 Semi arid 1.5 – 1.8 4.4

Walsh et al., 1998

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 Calculation of free surface movement (Ys)

∆u = 1.2 pF Ys = Σα Iss ∆u ∆z

PAVEMENT Iss = Shrink Swell Index (%) ~ 0.1% WPI

∆u = Change in soil Suction (pF)

Cracked Zone
∆ z = Layer thickness (m)

α = 1 in cracked (unrestrained) zone

α = (2 - z/5) in uncracked zone and z is depth to centroid
Uncracked Zone
Cracked zone
• 0 H for reactive clay in controlled fill < 5 yrs
• 0.5 H for coastal Queensland
• 0.75 H in arid areas
Suction Profile

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 Flat Batters (1V: 4H)

Zonation High Rainfall 0.8m (C)

1m (D)
Y = 1.0 (C)
Y = 1.2 (D)

Low/Medium
Rainfall
Y = 1.2 (C) 1m (C)
1.2m (D)
Y = 1.5 (D)

https://au.pinterest.com/pin/15903404906872506/ Class A/ B
Active Zone
Hs = Pavement + y

Stable Zone
A/B/C/D

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 Effect of volumetrically active clays

1.5m active zone

>

o Maryborough Bypass 1990 - Prior to the road opening

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o Importance of Equilibrium Moisture Content
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 Moisture measurements in the active and stable zone
below existing road at Cooroy

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 Monitoring of trial embankments + Constructed Bypass

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 Equilibrium Moisture Content

 Class D  strong relationship with rainfall

 Class C  some relationship

 Class B  minor ? relationship

 Class A  no relationship with rainfall

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 Compaction Test (AS1289.5.2.1)

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 Equilibrium Moisture Content (Notes / Considerations only)

Median Annual Relative Moisture Content (%) ± 15% (A) to ± 20% (D)
Rainfall Zone
Rainfall (mm)
Class A Class B / C Class D
Very High 1250 85 ± 13 105 ± 21 130 ± 25
High 1000 80 ± 12 100 ± 20 115 ± 22
Medium 750 75 ± 11 90 ± 18 95 ± 19
Low 500 65 ± 10 80 ± 16 65 ± 13

General Fill Material

Median Annual Relative Moisture Content (%)
Rainfall Zone
Rainfall (mm)
Class A Class B Class C Class D
High > 1000 (68 – 98) 70 – 100 80 – 110 90 – 120* (93-155) 100 - 130*
Medium 500 – 1000 (64- 86)  60 – 90 70 – 100 80 – 110 (76-114) 80 – 110
Low < 500 (55-75) 60 – 80 60 – 80 60 – 90 (52-78)  60 – 90
• These limits apply to material without added water.
• Constructability Considerations  60% set as lower bound: 130% as Upper Bound

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 Design & construction process based on WPI classification

This is how WPI, EMC, Zonation

and Characteristic Values were
meant to be applied in practice.

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 Summary of Procedure Discussed herein

Screening Climate Construction

• WPI for residual soils • Soil Suctions  EMC • Zonation

• 84% in SE Qld • + Testing Reliability • Characteristic Values
• Material Class (A  D)

Further Reading:
 Look B.G. (2016 - unpublished to date). The Weighted Plasticity Index in Road Design and Construction. Australian Geomechanics Journal.
 Look B G (2005). Equilibrium Moisture Content of volumetrically active clay earthworks in Queensland. Australian Geomechanics Journal, Vol 40, No. 3, pp 55 – 66.
 Look B G (1995). Developments in the Construction of Expansive Clay Roadways. Transport Technology Transfer Forum, Queensland Transport.

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