CALIFORNIA BEARING RATIO TEST

Aim: To determine the C.B.R value of soil

Definition: California Bearing Ratio (CBR) is the ratio of the force per unit area required to
penetrate a soil mass with a standard piston at the rate of 1.25 mm/ min. to that required for
corresponding penetration of a standard material.

Apparatus: a) Loading machine any compressive machine which can operate at a constant
rate of 1.25 m/ min and in which a cylindrical plunger of 50mm diameter can be fitted.

b) Cylindrical moulds Moulds of 150 mm diameter and 175 mm height provided with a
collar of about 50mm length and detachable perforated base, a displacer disc of 148mm
diameter and 47.7 mm in height, to obtain a specimen of exactly 127.3 mm height.

c) Compaction rammer compaction is done as suggested by the ISI for light compaction
and heavy compaction.
Number of layers
Weight of hammer
(kg)
Fall (cm) No. of blows
3 2.6 31 56
5 4.89 45 56


d) Adjustable stem, perforated plate, tripod and dual gauge accessories required to measure
the swelling of the water soaked soil before testing as per standard procedure.

e) Annular weight each of 2.5 kg. placed on the top of the specimen, both at the time of
soaking and testing of the samples.

f) Course filter paper, sieves, oven, and balance.

Theory: The California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test is a load test applied to the surface and
used in soil investigations as an aid to the design of pavements, which is an empirical method
having one of the chief advantage, simplicity of the test procedure. CBR test is done mostly
in laboratory on the subgrade soil, disturbed or remoulded depending whether an existing
subgrade is utilized for the pavement without improvement or a new subgrade is to be
constructed with proper control over its properties, especially compaction characteristics.

CBR value Subgrade Strength Comments
3% and less Poor Capping is required
3% - 5% Normal
Widely encountered CBR
range capping considered
according to road category
5% -15% Good
"Capping" normally
unnecessary except on very
heavily trafficked roads
The laboratory test uses a circular piston to penetrate material compacted in a mould
at a constant rate of penetration. The CBR is expressed as the ratio of the unit load on the
piston required to penetrate 0.1 in. (2.5 mm) and 0.2 in (5 mm) of the test soil to the unit load
required to penetrate a standard material of well-graded crusted stone.

This test method is used to determine the CBR of a material compacted in a specied
mould. The CBR mould with the spacer disk specied in this standard has the same internal
dimensions as a 6-in. (150-mm) diameter compaction mould. Another alternative is for CBR
test to be performed on material compacted to a specic water content and density.
Alternatively, a water content range may be stated for one or more density values. This will
often require a series of specimens prepared using two or three compactive efforts for the
specied water content or over the range of water contents requested.


Procedure: 1) The optimum moisture content and maximum dry density of the soil are
determined.

2) A batch of soil (approx. 5.5kg) is mixed with water up to the optimum moisture content.
The spacer disc is placed at the bottom of the mould and a filter paper over it, the processed
soil sample is placed over this.

3) The soil is compacted with 56 blows per layer in three or five equal layers. The collar is
removed and excess soil at the top of the mould is struck off using a straight edge. Such three
CBR test specimens are prepared.

4) From each mould, soil samples are collected for moisture content determinations.

5) The sample continued in the mould excluding base plate and spacer disc is weighed. The
filter paper is now placed on base plate and the mould is turned upside down, so that the top
of the sample is now placed over the sample top angle with the perforated weight of 2.5 or 5
kg is placed. Soaking is done for 4 days. The initial and final readings of the dial gauge are
taken to measure the expansion.

6) The sample is allowed to drain off water in a vertical position for 15 minutes. The sample
along with mould is again weighed to calculate the percentage of water absorbed.

7) The surcharge is weight is again provided and the assembly with the base plate is placed in
the compression machine. The plunger (50 mm. diameter) is brought in contact with the top
surface and a seating load of 4 kg. is applied. The compressive load is applied smoothly at the
rate of 1.25 mm per minute. Load readings are recorded at penetrations 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0,
2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 5.0, 7.5, 10, 12.5 mm. The load is released and the mould is removed from
the loading machine. A soil sample from the top 3cm. layer is collected and weighed for
moisture content determination.

Calculations:

The expansion ratio is calculated from the test for swelling:

Expansion ratio =

Where d
f
= final dial gauge reading in mm.
d
s
= initial dial gauge reading in mm. and
h = initial height of the specimen in mm.

For each penetration level, the unit pressure is obtained by dividing the total load by the area
of piston. The load penetration curve for each specimen is then plotted on natural scale. If the
curve is uniform, the CBR value at 2.5mm and 5.0mm are obtained. If the curve becomes
reverse one, a tangent at the steepest point of curve is drawn. This line extended until it
intersects the base axis which presents the correct zero penetration. The values at the
corrected penetration of 2.5 mm and 5mm are read out. CBR value is calculated using the
following formula.

CBR (percent) =



100

The CBR values at 2.5mm and 5.0 mm. penetration are found. Generally the value at 2.5 mm
is higher and this is adopted. However, if higher CBR value is obtained at 5mm. then the test
is repeated to verify this. If identical results follow, the CBR corresponding to 5mm
penetration is taken for design.

Graph:


Fig: Graph between LOAD and PENETRATION





Calculation of CBR from Load Penetration Curve

1. Plot the load penetration curve in natural scale, load on Y - axis and penetration on X
Axis as shown in Fig below.

2. If the curve is uniformly convex upwards although the initial portion of the curve may be
concave upwards due to surface irregularities make correction by drawing a tangent to the
upper curve at the point of contra flexure as below.


Fig: load vs penetration curve

3. Take the intersection point of the tangent and the X axis as the origin. Calculate the CBR
values for penetration of 2.50mm and 5.00mm.

4. Corresponding to the penetration value at which CBR is to be desired, take the corrected
load values from the load penetration curve and calculate the CBR from the equation.

P
t
= Corrected unit test load corresponding to the chosen penetration from load penetration
curve
P
s
= Total standard load for the same depth of penetration, which can be taken from the Table
below
C
f
= Proving ring correction factor

Table: Standard loads at specified penetrations
Penetration depth
(mm)
Unit Standard load
Kgf/ cm2
Total Standard load
(Kgf)
2.50 70 1370
5.00 105 2055
7.50 134 2630
10.00 162 3180
12.50 183 3600


Report:

1. Report the CBR value to the nearest second decimal.

2. Take the average of three test specimens as the CBR value of the test.

3. Generally, the CBR value at 2.50mm penetration will be greater than that at 5.00mm
penetration and in such case take the value at 2.50mm as the CBR value.

4. If the CBR value corresponding to a penetration of 5.00mm exceeds that of 2.50mm,
repeat the test.

5. If the identical results follow, take the value corresponding to 5.00mm as the CBR value

IRC Recommendations:

1. The CBR test should be performed on remoulded soils in laboratory. Insitu tests are
recommended for design purposes. The specimen should be prepared by static compaction
whenever possible otherwise by dynamic compaction.

2. For the design of new roads the sub-grade soil sample should be compacted at OMC to
proctor density whenever suitable compaction equipment is available to achieve this density
in the eld, otherwise the soil is compacted to the dry density expected to be achieved in the
eld.

3. In new constructions the CBR test samples may be soaked in water for four days period
before testing. However in areas with arid climate or when the annual rainfall is less than
50cm and the water table is to affect the subgrade adversely and when thick impermeable
bituminous surfacing is provided, it is not necessary to soak the soil sample before carrying
out the CBR test.

4. At least three samples should be tested on each soil sample at same density and moisture
content. If the maximum variation in the CBR values of three samples exceeds the specied
limits, the design CBR should be the average of at least six samples.

5. The top 50cm of sub-grade should be compacted at least up to 95 to 100% of proctor
density.

6. An estimate of road traffic to be carried out by the road pavements at the end of expected
life should be made keeping in view the existing traffic and growth rate of traffic. Pavements
of major roads should be designed for a period of ten years.

Factors affecting CBR:

The principle soil factors affecting the CBR are sol texture, moisture, and density. The
testing procedure employed depends primarily upon the type of material being tested.
Granular soils are not greatly affected by swelling during the soaking period, and therefore
the surcharge eights are not to signicant during this part of test. In contrast, claylike soils,
which are greatly affected by swelling pressures, yield CBR values depending upon the
weight of the surcharges used during the soaking period. Surcharge weights are extremely
important during the penetration portion of the test for granular materials but not too
significant for the ne grained soils.

Limitation:

The CBR method of design of the exible pavement suffer from a serious
disadvantage that the CBR method of pavement design gives the total thickness requirement
of the pavement above a subgrade and this thickness value would remain the same
irrespective of the quality of materials used in the component layers.

FIELD CBR TEST

Apparatus:

A reaction load like a truck, tractor or truss is required for applying the load by means
of a mechanical screw jack. The other equipment needed are 5 cm diameter loading plunger,
extension rods, jacks, proving ring assembly, dial gauge, datum frame, annular surcharge
plate 25 cm in diameter and 5 kg in weight, with a central hole and slot width 5.3 cm and two
circular slotted weights of 10 kg and diameter about 25 cm with central hole and slot width of
5.3 cm.

Procedure:

A circular area of about 30 cm in diameter is trimmed and levelled. Particular care
should be taken at the centre where the plunger is to be seated. The surcharge load of 15 kg is
placed on this surface and the plunger is seated properly. The dial gauge to measure the
penetration is attached to the plunger from an independent datum frame. A seating load of 4
kg is applied and the load and penetration dials are set to zero.
The load is applied to the plunger by means of the jack such that the rate of
penetration is approximately 1.25 mm per minute. The load readings are noted for at
penetrations 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, T.5, 10.0 and 12.5 mm. The load is
released and moisture content specimen is taken from underneath the plunger.




Calculations:

The load - penetration curve is plotted, and the CBR value is calculated as in the case
of laboratory CBR.

Observation Sheet:

Type of material:
Compacting moisture content:
Dry density:

Condition of specimen at test .. Soaked/ unsoaked
Moisture content (a) At top 3 cm layer after soaking
(b) Average after soaking.

Soaking weight Period of soaking Expansion ratio

Sample
number
Penetration,
mm.
Load on
plunger, kg.
Corrected
Load, kg.
Unit load
kg/cm2
CBR of
specimen at
2.5mm
penetration
CBR of
specimen at
5.0 mm
penetration


CBR value of specimen at ___ mm penetration =

Precautions:

1. Clean the holes of the base plate and that of perforated disc thoroughly.

2. Align the surcharge weight with the plunger so that the plunger penetrates freely in to the
soil.

References:

IRC 37_ 2012
IS: 2720 (Part 16) 1979
ASTM standards D1883 07 (www.astm.org/Standards/D1883.htm)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/23493754/California-Bearing-Ratio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZQIQRlQp3Q (field CBR test procedure)
http://www.prbdb.gov.in/files/Quality%20Control%20Training/Tests%20on%20Soils
/CBR%20Test/CBR%20Test.pd