GEOSYNTHETICS ENGINEERING: IN

THEORY AND PRACTICE

Prof. J. N. Mandal

Department of civil engineering, IIT Bombay,

Powai , Mumbai 400076, India.
Tel.022-25767328
email: cejnm@civil.iitb.ac.in

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 Module-5
LECTURE- 22
GEOSYNTHETICS IN PAVEMENTS

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

RECAP of previous lecture..

Design of reinforced roads

Design parameters
Design charts
Design procedure
Joining of geotextile
Rut repair
Calculation of critical dead weight of vibro-roller

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

Stress reduction downwards with depth of granular fill
(Rankilor/ Bonar, 1997)

The reduction in pressure downwards up to 1 m depth of

granular fill can be calculated as,

Pr = 0.9 x Tp x 10-6D

Pr = induced pressure at any particular depth (D) from the

surface (kN/m2)

Tp = Surface pressure of tier (kN/m2)

D = Fill depth (m)

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 If the subgrade soil is within 1 m depth, the applied
pressure on the subgrade due to surface tire pressure = Pr

Generally, cohesive strength of the subgrade soil should

be 1/5th of the load on subgrade to support the vehicle.

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

Example:

Weight of heavy vehicle = 1800 kN

This weight will be equally shared by four tires.
The load on each tire = 1800/4 = 450 kN
Contact area of tire = 0.62 = 0.36 m2
Surface pressure of tire (Tp) = 450/0.36 = 1250 kN/m2
Let, the subgrade is at 0.9 m depth from the surface.

Calculate the induced pressure on subgrade soil. Also

calculate the require cohesion of subgrade soil to support
the vehicle.
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Solution:

Pr = 0.9 x Tp x 10-6D
= 0.9 x 1250 x 10-(6 x 0.9)
= 1125 x 10-0.54
= 1125 x 0.29 = 324 kN/m2

So, the induced load on the subgrade = 324 kN/m2

Generally, cohesive strength of subgrade soil should be

1/5th of the load on subgrade to support the vehicle.

Therefore, minimum undrained shear strength of the

subgrade soil = 324/5 = 65 kN/m2
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Advantages of unpaved roads
Maintain the separation between subgrade and sub-base,
Reduce the required amount of good quality aggregates,
Minimize rut depth,
Construction of road is very easy,
Site preparation is less,
Reduce the depth of excavation
Prevent contamination of the sub-base materials,
Prevent failure of pavement structures,
Improve drainage systems
Provide stabilization
Reduce intensity of stress on the subgrade,
Reduce differential settlement
Extend the life of pavements, and
Reduce maintenance requirements
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 DESIGN CHARTS OF U.S. FOREST SERVICE (USFS)
FOR UNPAVED ROADS

Steward et al. (1977) developed a design method for U.S.

Forest service (USFS). The method has following limitations:
The aggregate layer is cohesionless (non-plastic) and
compacted to CBR = 80.
Undrained shear strength of the subgrade is about 90 kPa
(CBR < 3),
Vehicle passes less than 10,000
Geosynthetics serviceability criteria should be considered

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

The method includes the following parameters:
Vehicle passes,
Tire pressure,
Subgrade strength,
Axle configuration, and
Rut depths

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

Bearing capacity factor (Nc) for different ruts and traffic
conditions both without and with geotextile separators
(After Stewards et al., 1977)

Traffic (passes Bearing

Condition Ruts (mm) of 80 kN axel capacity
equivalent) factor, Nc
Without < 50 > 1000 2.8
geotextile > 100 < 100 3.3
With < 50 > 1000 5.0
geotextile > 100 < 100 6.0
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 U.S. Forest Service design curves
(After Steward et al., 1977)

Single wheel load Dual wheel load Tandem wheel load

The undrained shear strength of the soil (cu) multiplied by
the bearing capacity factors give the stress level (cu Nc).
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Design Procedure
Step 1: Calculate the strength of subgrade soil at different
locations. The subgrade soil strength can be determined
from field CBR, vane shear, cone penetrometer and resilient
modulus test.
The undrained shear strength of soil (c), in kPa = 30x CBR
Step 2: Check the type of loadings
Single wheel loads,
Dual wheel loads, and
Maximum dual tandem wheel loads
Step 3: Check the amount of traffic (N= 6000 passes)
Step 4: Check the rutting depths. It may vary from 50 mm to
75 mm.
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Step 5: Determine bearing capacity factor (Nc) without and
with geotextile

Bearing capacity factor (Nc) for different ruts and traffic

conditions both without and with geotextile separators
(After Stewards et al., 1977)
Traffic (passes Bearing
Condition Ruts (mm) of 80 kN axel capacity
equivalent) factor, Nc
Without < 50 > 1000 2.8
geotextile > 100 < 100 3.3
With < 50 > 1000 5.0
geotextile > 100 < 100 6.0
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Step 6: Calculate the required thickness of aggregate from
the USFS design charts for different loading conditions.
Step 7: Select design thickness without and with geotextile.
Knowing c Nc value, determine the required design thickness
of pavement without and with geotextile.

Step 8: Determine geotextile survivability, drainage and

filtration requirements.
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Example: Design an unpaved road with proper geosynthetic
layer for the condition given:

Number of passages = 1000;

Single axel load = 80 kN;
Single wheel load = 40 kN;
Required tire pressure = 550 kPa;
Rut depth 50 mm or less.
Characteristics of the sub-grade soil,
CBR value = 0.5;
Undrained shear strength = 15 kPa.
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Solution:
According to Stewart et al. 1977,
Without geotextile
As per given data when number of passage = 1000 and rut
depth 50 mm, Nc = 2.8
Now, cNC = 15 2.8 = 42 kPa
From the design chart for single wheel load,
Depth of aggregate (h0) = 700 mm
With geotextile
As per given data when number of passage = 1000 and rut
depth 50 mm, Nc = 5
Now, cNC = 15 5 = 75 kPa
From the same design chart,
Depth of aggregate (h) = 500 mm
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
So, the thickness of aggregate saved due to application of
geotextile, h = 0.7 0.5 = 0.20 m
0.20
percentage of saving x100 28.58%
0.70
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Unpaved road without and with geosynthetic
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
MODIFIED CALIFORNIA BEARING RATIO (CBR) TEST

Reinforcement ratio (LCR) = the ratio of load carried by soil

with geotextile to the load carried in unreinforced case.

Laboratory modified CBR test for the determination of

reinforcement ratio (a) without geogrid (b) with geogrid
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
The US Army Corps of Engineers modified the CBR design
method (WES TR3-692) as reported by Koerner (2005).

1
2
P A
h (3.24 log N 2.21)
36 CBR 2030

h = Thickness of stone aggregate (mm),

N = Number of passes of traffic,
P = Equivalent single wheel load (N),
A = Contact area of tire (mm2)

In reinforced condition (CBR) = LCR x CBRunreinforced

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Example:
Equivalent single wheel load of 40 kN for 1000 passes.
Tire contact area (A) = 300 x 450 mm2
CBRunreinforced = 1.5,
After placing geosynthetic, LCR = 1.6
Evaluate the percentage saving in aggregate thickness.

Solution:
1
2
P A
h (3.24 log N 2.21)
36 CBR 2030

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

Without using geosynthetic:
1
2
40000 300 x 450
h 0 (3.24 log1000 2.21) 309.78 mm
36 1.5 2030

Using geosynthetic:

LCR = 1.6, CBRreinforced = 1.6 x 1.5 = 2.4

1
2
40000 300 x 450
h ' (3.24 log1000 2.21) 237.54 mm
36 2.4 2030

Saving in stone aggregates:

h = h0 h' = (309.78 237.54) mm = 72.24 mm

percentage saving = (72.24/237.54) x 100 = 30.41%
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Relationship between CBR value and thickness of pavement for wheel load
= 40 kN and tire area = (300 x 450) mm2 for different coverages.
Thickness (mm)
CBR (%)
N = 10 N = 100 N = 1000 N = 10000
0.5 253.04 403.47 553.91 704.34
1 176.15 280.86 385.58 490.30
1.5 141.52 225.65 309.78 393.91
2 120.52 192.18 263.83 335.48
2.5 105.95 168.94 231.93 294.92
3 95.00 151.48 207.96 264.44
3.5 86.34 137.66 188.99 240.32
4 79.22 126.31 173.41 220.50
4.5 73.20 116.72 160.24 203.76
5 68.01 108.44 148.87 189.30
5.5 63.45 101.16 138.88 176.60
6 59.37 94.67 129.97 165.27
6.5 55.70 88.81 121.92 155.03
7 52.34 83.46 114.57 145.69
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Thickness of pavement for different CBR values
Wheel load = 40 kN, tire contact area (A) = (300 x 450) mm2,
LCR = 1.6
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Design chart for GG-reinforced unpaved roads, R = h/h0
(After Giroud et al., 1984)
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 DESIGN OF PAVEMENT IN UNREINFORCED AND
REINFORCED CONDITIONS

Design of pavement thickness without geogrid (IRC37)

Step 1: Determine axle load, wheel load (P), tire pressure (p)

Step 2: Determine sub-grade CBR

Step 3: Determine traffic loading category

Step 4: As per IRC-37- 2001,

Determine lane distribution factor (D) depending on the

type of road (IRC-37, 2001)
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Lane distribution factor (D) for different types of
roads (IRC-37, 2001)

Lane distribution factor in

Type of roads terms of percentage of the
total number of commercial
vehicles in both directions
Single lane roads 100%
Intermediate width roads 100%
Two lane single carriageway roads 75%
Four lane single carriage roads 40%
Dual Dual two lane 75%
carriag
eway Reduced by 20% for each
> two lane
roads additional lane
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Determine Initial traffic (A) in the year of completion of
construction in terms of the number of commercial vehicles
per day
A P (1 r ) x D
A = Initial traffic in the year of completion of construction in
terms of the number of commercial vehicles per day
P = number of commercial vehicles as per last count
r = annual growth rate of commercial vehicles (%)
x = number of years between the last count and the year of
completion of construction
D = lane distribution factor (%)
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Determine vehicle damage factor depending on the initial
traffic volume (A) during construction period from the
following Table (IRC-37, 2001) .

Vehicle damage
Initial traffic volume in terms of
factor
number of commercial vehicles
Rolling/Plain Hilly
per day
Terrain Terrain
0-150 1.5 0.5
150-1500 3.5 1.5
More than 1500 4.5 2.5
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Determine cumulative number of standard axle load (Ns).

365 A [(1 r ) n 1]
N s x F
r

Ns = Cumulative number of standard axle load (msa)

r = annual growth rate of commercial vehicles (%)
A = Initial traffic in the year of completion of construction in
terms of the number of commercial vehicles per day
n = design life of pavement after completion (years)
F = vehicle damage factor
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Step 5: Knowing the value of CBR and Ns, determine the total
pavement thickness (H) form the following design charts.

Design chart for determining pavement thickness,

traffic 1-10 msa (IRC-37, 2001)
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
Design Chart for determining pavement thickness,
traffic 10-150 msa (IRC-37, 2001)
Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay
 Please let us hear from you

Any question?

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay

 Prof. J. N. Mandal
Department of civil engineering, IIT Bombay,
Powai , Mumbai 400076, India.
Tel.022-25767328
email: cejnm@civil.iitb.ac.in

Prof. J. N. Mandal, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay