Abstract

The modulus of aggregate base layers in pavement structures can potentially be increased through the use of geogrid. However, methods for determining how much structural benefit can be expected from a given geogrid product have not been standardized. A laboratory testing protocol is therefore needed to enable evaluation, in terms of modulus or California bearing ratio (CBR), for example, of the degree of improvement that may be achieved by a given geogrid. Consequently, the objective of this research was to identify a laboratory test method that can be used to quantify improvements in structural capacity of aggregate base materials reinforced with geogrid. For this research, National Cooperative Highway Research Program Report 598 repeated load triaxial, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) T 307 quick shear, and CBR testing protocols were used to test unreinforced and geogrid-reinforced aggregate base materials from northern Utah. Biaxial and triaxial geogrid were investigated in multiple reinforcement configurations. Several statistical analyses were performed on the results of each test method to identify the test that is most likely to consistently show an improvement in the structural capacity of aggregate base materials reinforced with geogrid. The results of this research indicate that, for the methods and materials evaluated in this study, calculation of the modulus at 2 percent strain from the AASHTO T 307 quick shear data is the test method most likely to consistently show an improvement in structural capacity associated with geogrid reinforcement. Of the three configurations investigated as part of this research, placing the geogrid at an upper position within a specimen is preferred. Given that the end goal of the use of geogrid reinforcement is to improve pavement performance, additional research is needed to compare the results of the AASHTO T 307 quick shear test obtained in the laboratory with the structural capacity of geogrid-reinforced aggregate base materials measured in the field. In addition, correlations between the results of the AASHTO T 307 quick shear test and resilient modulus need to be investigated in order to incorporate the findings of the AASHTO T 307 quick shear test on reinforced base materials into mechanistic-empirical pavement design.

Degree

MS

College and Department

Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering and Technology; Civil and Environmental Engineering

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2015-03-01

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd7675

Keywords

aggregate base materials, biaxial geogrid, mechanistic-empirical pavement design, modulus, quick shear test, triaxial geogrid

Language

english

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