Highway & Traffic Engineering Lab 01

EXPERIMENT NO. 01

OBJECT: INTRODUCTION TO ROAD CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND

THEIR PROPERTIES

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE:

Upon successful completion of this lab experiments, the student will be able to:
 Select the different tests for road construction material with their usages

DISCUSSION:

The road structure is mainly consisting of the following ingredients;

i) Soil ii) Aggregate (Crushed Stones) iii) Binding Material (Bitumen)

1. TESTS ON SOIL

Soil is an important material in highway construction because:

a. Soil sub-grade is bottom most part of the road structure and it provide a formation
bed for the pavement.
b. Soil is also used in Embankments and in Stabilized soil base.

Soil compaction is an important phenomenon in highway construction. Compacted sub-grade

improves the load supporting ability of the pavement, and in turn it decreased the pavement
thickness requirement.
Generally the following lab tests are conducted.

I. Grain Size Analysis Test

This test determines the percent of individual grain size present in the soil sample. The results
of test are used in the soil classification.

II. Consistency limit and indices

I. Liquid Limit II. Plastic Limit III. Shrinkage Limit

III. Compaction Test

From compaction test, maximum dry density and optimum moisture content of the soil is
found for the selected type and amount of compaction.
Compaction, in general is considered most useful in the preparation of sub-grade and other
pavement layers and in construction of embankment in order to decrease the air voids and
ultimately the settlement.

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Highway & Traffic Engineering Lab 01

IV. Field test by sand replacement method

To check the amount of compaction attained in the field and for quality control tests in the
field compaction.

V. Triaxial Test

To find the shearing resistance of the material

VI. California Bearing Ratio Test

To classify and evaluate the soil sub-grade and base course materials for flexible pavements.

2. TESTS ON ROAD AGGREGATES

Aggregates form the major part of the pavement structure and it is the prime material used in
the road construction. Aggregates have to primarily bear load stresses occurring on the roads
and runways and have to resist wear due to abrasive action of traffic. Aggregates are used in
construction of pavement using cement concrete, bituminous construction methods and in
water bound macadam. Aggregates often serve as granular base course underlying the
superior pavements. Aggregates which are used in the surface course have to withstand the
high magnitude of load stresses and wear and tear due to abrasion. The aggregates in the
pavement are also subjected to impact due to moving wheel loads.
.
The desirable properties of the road aggregate are as under:

I. Resistance to crushing or Strength

II. Resistance to abrasion or Hardness

III. Resistance to impact or Toughness

IV. Good shape factors to avoid too flaky and elongated particles of
Course aggregates

V. Resistance to weathering action or Soundness

VI. Good adhesion with bituminous materials in presence of water or Stripping

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Highway & Traffic Engineering Lab 01

I. Aggregate Crushing Value Test

The aggregate crushing test is the indirect measure of crushing strength of the aggregates.

II. Abrasion test

Due to the movement of traffic, the road stones used in the surfacing course are subjected to
wearing action at the top. Resistance to abrasion or hardness is hence an essential property for
road aggregates, especially when used in wearing course. Thus road stones should be hard
enough to resist the abrasion due to traffic.

III. Aggregate impact test

The aggregate impact test is considered to be an important test to asses the suitability of
aggregate as regards the toughness for use in pavement.

IV. Soundness test

The soundness test is useful to asses the resistance of the aggregate to weathering action. .

V. Specific gravity and water absorption test

This test is performed to assess the specific gravity of the road aggregate. As high the specific
gravity of aggregate, higher will be its strength.

VI. Shape test

In the pavement construction flaky and elongated particles are to be avoided, particularly in
surface course. If flaky and elongated aggregates are present in appreciable proportions, the
strength of the pavement layer would be adversely affected due to possibility of breaking
down under loads.

VII. Stripping value of the road aggregates

Bitumen and tar adhere well to all normal types of the road aggregates provided they are dry
and are not exceptionally dusty. The process of binding is controlled largely by viscosity of
the binder. When the viscosity of the binder is high, coating of aggregate by the binder is
slower.

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Highway & Traffic Engineering Lab 01

3. TESTS ON BITUMINOUS MATERIALS

Binder used in the pavement construction includes both bitumen and tar. The bitumen is
brought to sufficient fluidity or viscosity before use in pavement construction.

Generally fallowing lab experiments are conducted on bitumen.

I. Penetration test

Penetration test is used to grade the bitumen in the terms of hardness.

II. Ductility test

A certain minimum ductility is necessary for a bitumen binder. This is because of the
temperature changes in the bitumen mixes and the repeated deformations that occur in
flexible pavements due to the traffic loads.

III. Softening point test

Softening point is essentially the, temperature at which the bituminous binder becomes soften
and has an equal viscosity.

IV. Specific gravity test for bitumen

Specific gravity is useful to identify the source of a bituminous binder. Pure bitumen has a
specific gravity in the range 0.97 to 1.02. In case the bitumen contains mineral impurity, the
specific gravity will be higher.

V. Viscosity test

Viscosity is defined as the inverse of fluidity. Viscosity thus defines the fluid property of
bituminous material.

VI. Flash and fire point test

Bituminous, materials leave out volatiles or flumes at high temperatures depending upon their
grade. These volatile vapours catch fire causing a flash. This condition is very hazardous and
it is therefore essential to qualify this temperature for each bitumen grade, so that the paving
engineers may restrict the mixing or application temperature as well within the limits.

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Highway & Traffic Engineering Lab 01

4. TESTS ON BITUMEN MIXES

Bitumen mixes are used in the surface coarse of road and airfield pavements, some types of
bituminous mixes are also used in base and or binder course of flexible pavements. The
bituminous mixes may be divided into two categories based on the gradation of coarse and
fine aggregates in the mix.

Generally following lab experiments are conducted.

I. Marshal stability test

II. Hveem Stabilometer and Cohesiometer test

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Highway & Traffic Engineering Lab 01

Review Questions:

1. Define soil sub-grade and enlist various tests to check suitability of soil?

3. Enlist the various tests for road aggregates?

4. Enlist the various tests for bituminous materials?

Signature of lab: In charge: Dated:

Department of Civil Engineering Mehran University of Engineering & Technology, Jamshoro