CONSTRUCTION OF SUBGRADE,

SUBBASE AND BASE LAYERS

Dr. Anjaneyappa
Department of Civil Engineering
RV College of Engineering
Bengaluru 59
Email: anjaneyappa@rvce.edu.in
 Pavement Types

Flexible pavements

Rigid pavements / Cement Concrete (CC)

Pavements
Semi-rigid pavements
Composite pavements
 Pavement Composition- Bituminous

Vehicle

Black Topping(115 to 200)

Base(250) Road
Crust
Sub Base ( 100-250)

Sub
500mm Grade ( 300-500)

450
Embankment
Ground Level
Subgrade
Layer of Natural Soil Prepared to Receive
Layers of Pavement placed over
The loads on Pavement are Received by Soil
Subgrade for dispersion to the Earth mass
Sub Base
To act as drainage layer / Protect Subgrade
To improve the load supporting capacity by
Distributing the load - Flexible pavement
Prevent mud pumping, continuous support for
slab & to protect subgrade
Base Layer
Structural layer / Distribute stresses
Strength and Stability to pavement system
WBM, WMM, CRM

Binder courses
Bear High Stresses
Distribution of Stresses
BM, DBM

Surface Course
To give Smooth riding surface
To resist wear and tear due to traffic
To resist Water infiltration
SDBC, BC, CGPS (MSS)
Rigid Pavements / Cement Concrete Pavements
Sub Base layers:
Granular layers WBM,WMM etc
DLC - Dry lean Concrete/ Roller compacted concrete
Surface Layers
PQC
Interlocking Concrete paving blocks
Flexible Pavements / Bituminous Pavements
1. Fill/ Subgrade - Soil Layers
2. Granular Layers ( Subbase & base layer) -GSB, WBM,
WMM, CRM
3. Bituminous Layers
3.1 Interface treatments
3.2 Thin Surface Layers
3.3 Thick Surface layers
4. Bituminous Binder Courses & Surface Courses
5. Functional & Structural Layers
Bituminous Layers _ Thick Layers
Grouted / Penetration / Sprayed
Built Up Spray Grout
Penentration Macadam
Bituminous Precoated Layers
Bituminous Macadam
Dense Bituminous Macadam
Bituminous Concrete
Bituminous Thin Layers - Structural Layer
Semi Dense Bituminous Concrete - 25 mm

Bituminous Thin Function Layers

Pre Mix Carpet with Seal Coat
Mix Seal Surfacing
Construction of Embankment / Subgrade
 Applies for shoulders, backfills etc
Materials are Soil, moorum, gravel, mixture of these materials
Clay of LL < 50 PI < 25, OL, OI, OH etc are not suitable
Construction Operations
1. Setting out - marked by fixing pegs at regular
intervals before commencing the work.
Centre line / reference at 500 m & 250 in plain and hilly on either
side at 20-25 m
Intermediate pegs: 50 m & 20 m on straight & curved

2.Compacting ground supporting embankment /

subgrade ( 0.5 m below subgrade level)
3. Spreading, mixing and Compaction
4. Max size of clods / hard lumps 75 mm for
embankment and 50 mm in subgrade
5. If fill is to be deposited on slope ( steeper
than 1:4) faces are to be benched
6. During construction surface to have cross fall
for drainage
7. Repair of damages caused by rains / spillage
of water before next layer is laid
8. Finishing operations - shaping, trimming,
surface level etc
9. Area shall be cleared of debris / ugly scars
responsible for objectionable appearance
10. Any soft areas in embankment, be removed
and replaced by app.material, compaction
 Tests On Borrow Materials Of Embankment/subgrade
Test Desirable Frequency / 3000 cum

Gradation/ Sand Content 2 Tests

Plasticity Index 2 Tests

Modified Proctor Test 2 Tests

CBR on a set of 3 One Test

Specimens
Deleterious Constituents As Required

Natural Moisture Content 2 tests

 Earthwork for Embankment and Subgrade

Spreading of material in layers and

Bringing to appropriate moisture content

Maximum compacted layer thickness should not exceed

200 mm
Variation in Optimum Moisture content between OMC -
2 % to OMC + 1%
Expansive soils to be compacted at OMC or on wet side
of optimum
 DENSITY -CBR

19.5 10
9
Dry Density (KN/m3)

19
8
18.5 7
18 6

CBR (% )
5
17.5 4 Dry Density
17 3 CBR (Soaked)
2
16.5
1
16 0
7 9 11 13 15 17
Moisture Content (%)

Fig. Relationship of Density - CBR for Loamy soil at IS Heavy

Compaction Effort
 Soil Layers
Layer Thickness
Uniform thickness, Maximum thickness
Water content
Lower side of OMC needs more compaction effort
Target higher Density
sustain higher strains, decrease in pavement crust
thickness
Compaction
High amplitude and low Frequency
Rolling on Compacted layer in the name of preparation of layer
Compaction
 Types of Rollers

Static Steel Wheel

Kneading
Vibratory
Impact Rollers

SOIL COMPACTORS - one Steel drum

ASPHALT COMPACTORS Steel drum both front and
back
PNEUMATIC TYRED COMPACTORS
Construction Compaction Equipment 21
 Static Steel Wheel Roller
Static Pressure

Weight
Speed Weight
Thickness
Roller
 Vibratory Rollers

Load
Amplitude
Frequency
Operation
Low Frequency High Frequency

Impact Spacing

FREQUENCY
DIRECTION OF TRAVEL

24
AMPLITUDE

25
Impact Rammer
Walk Behind Rollers Single Drum
Walk Behind Rollers Double drum
 Light Compacting Equipment

Applications
Trenches
Back fills

Constrained areas where big rollers can not be operated

Precaution
Layer Thickness to be 100-150 mm
 Types of Gradations

* Uniformly graded
- Few points of contact
- Poor interlock (shape dependent)
- High permeability

* Well graded
- Good interlock

- Low permeability

* Gap graded
- Only limited sizes
- Good interlock
- Low permeability
Stress distribution through granular layers
Construction of GSB
Compacted granular sub-base
 Sub-base course
l Intermediate layer between
subgrade and granular base course
l Essentially a drainage layer
l Distributes the stresses imposed by
traffic
 Materials for sub-base
l Locally available materials
Natural sand
Gravel or moorum
Kankar
Crushed stone
Laterite

l Industrial waste and other materials

Steel slag
Pond ash or Pond ash Bottom ash mix
Crushed concrete
Brick bats
 Gradation of Granular Sub-Base materials
IS. Sieve Per cent by weight passing the sieve
Grading I Grading II Grading III
75 mm 100
53 mm 80 100 100 100
26.5 mm 55 90 70 100 55-75
9.5 mm 35 65 50 80 -
4.75 mm 25 55 40 65 10 30
2.36 mm 20 40 30 50 -
0.85 mm - - -
0.425 mm 10-15 10 15 -
0.075 <5 <5 <5
 Gradation of Granular Sub-Base material
IS. Sieve Per cent by weight passing the sieve
Grading IV Grading V Grading VI
75 mm - 100
53 mm 100 80-100 100
26.5 mm 50 80 55 90 75-100
9.5 mm 35-65 5575
4.75 mm 15 35 25 50 30 55
2.36 mm 1020 1025
0.425 mm 210
0.075 mm - 0-5 0-8
CBR (Min.) <5 - 0-3
 Material requirements for GSB

AIV 40 Maximum
LL 25 Maximum
PI 6 Maximum
CBR at 98% density 30 Minimum unless specified
Test Frequency
Gradation one test per 400 cu.m
Atterberg limits One test per 400 cu.m
Moisture content One test per 400 cum
Density One test per 1000 sq.m
CBR
 Construction Steps

Preparation of Sub grade

No vegetation
Sprinkling of water if required 2 static roller passes

Spreading
Mix shall be mechanically by a suitable mixer equipped
with provision of control addition of water
Motor grader for required slope and grade

Compaction
for layers less than 100 mm static roller may be used
Up to 200 mm Vibrator roller 8-10 tonne vibratory roller
 Gradation for WMM
Sieve Size (mm) % Passing
53 100
45 95-100
26.5 -
22.40 60-80
11.20 40-60
4.75 25-40
2.36 15-30
0.60 8-22
0.075 0-5

Material Passing 425 micron shall PI not more than 6

WET MIX PLANT
NOT TO BE FOLLOWED
 Construction steps - WMM

Preparation of Mix in Pug Mill

Spreading of mix by Paver
Only in exceptional cases Motor grader can be used
 QC tests

Test Frequency
Gradation 1 test per 200 cum
AIV 1 test per 1000 cum
CI 1 test per 500 cum
Density 1 test per 1000 cum
 Advantages of Using WMM
Homogeneous mix as it is controlled mechanically
Laying by Pavers , hence better surface finish
Quicker
Mix can be mixed at suitable locations - where water is available
Because of premixing with water segregation reduces
Can achieve higher unit weight hence higher strength
Less compactive effort to achieve max density
Uniform coating of moisture film around aggregates
More output in construction
Controlled gradation / crushed
 Limitations
After construction of top layer immediate
sealing with bituminous surface
Lateral confinement
Water Requirement Scarcity areas?
 Construction Operations
1. Preparation of Base
2. Provision of lateral confinement of aggregates
3. Preparation of Mix
for small quantity concrete mixer may be
used
find OMC after replacing retained on
22.4 mm with material 4.75 to 22.4 mm
4. Spreading of Mix
Spreading of mix to be done uniformly / evenly
Should not be dumped in heaps
Finishing by Paver / exceptional cases grader
Due importance for segregation
5. Compaction
8to 10 tonne static compactor up to 100 mm
8-10 vibratory roller up to 200 mm
Speed of compactor not to exceed 5 km/hour
Displacement occurring due to roller operations are to be rectified
 Use small compactors near kerb/places not assessable
to roller
Rolling not be done when subgrade is soft/yielding
/causes wave like motion
If irregularities during rolling more than 12 mm for straight
edge , surface to be loosened and premixed material
to be added
6. Any defections on the surface to be rectified
7. Setting and Drying
8. Opening to traffic after sealing
 Crusher Run Macadam
l Crushed aggregates from aggregate crushing
plants to be used as such
l Screening, separation of aggregates and
remixing is avoided
l Physical requirements of aggregates are same as
that of WMM / WBM
l Two gradations provided in MoRTH
specifications and rural roads manual
l Construction procedure similar to WMM
 Gradation requirement of CRM
IS Sieve Per cent passing
53 mm max size 35 mm max size
63.0 mm 100
45.0 mm 87 100 100
22.4 mm 50 85 90 100
5.6 mm 25 45 35 55
710 micron 10 25 10 30
90 micron 25 25
 Advantages & Disadvantages
One material to be handled hence cost of
construction cheap
Maintaining gradation is difficult
While transporting mix to longer distances the
aggregates may segregate
While spreading at some places only fines & some
places only coarse aggregates
During construction fine material tends to go down
resulting loss of stability / difficult in compaction
 Construction Operations
1. Preparation of Base
2. Spreading, Mixing, Watering & Compaction
may be with /without spreader
blade mixed to full depth
watering prior & during mixing
Minimum segregation
Finished to required profile by Motor grader
3. Check for irregularities & surface finish
 Construction of Granular layers

Strength of Aggregate Layers achieved by Interlocking

Lateral confinement to Granular layers
Exposure of Aggregate Layer with bituminous layers for
longer duration
Compacting the aggregate layers which are already
compacted in name of preparation for next layer
 Most Important Quality Parameters

SOIL LAYERS ( Embankment and Subgrade)

- Density
GRANULAR LAYERS ( GSB / WBM/WMM)
- Gradation
BITUMINOUS LAYERS
- Gradation
- Temperature
 Quality
Totality of features and characteristics of a
product or services to satisfy stated or implied
needs
 Strategies
Specifies the acceptable materials for construction
outlining the various tests of acceptance
defines various design criteria, sound engineering
practices for guiding the designers to arrive at
appropriate solutions
Workman ships and other aspects of construction
which ensures design intents
 Quality Assurance
Quality of a product / service should confirm to the
customer requirements has become focal point in
managing quality in all organisations /projects
Quality was often considered as conformance to
specifications based on detection at the end of
production stage
Mere conformity to specifications is no longer
considered as a measure of quality
Thank you for Your Valuable Time