HIGHWAY SHOULDERS AS RELATED TO THE PUMPING PROBLEM

PUMPING OF RIGID PAVEMENTS CANNOT OCCUR UNLESS THERE IS WATER UNDER THE PAVEMENT. EARLY STUDIES SHOW THAT PUMPING CAN BE PREVENTED BY USING GRANULAR SUBBASES. AS AXLE LOADS AND FREQUENCIES INCREASED AN ACTION SIMILAR TO PUMPING CAN DEVELOP ON SOME DENSE GRADED GRANULAR SUBBASES. INVESTIGATIONS IN INDIANA SHOW THAT MOST OF THE WATER THAT MAKES EITHER PUMPING OR EROSION POSSIBLE ORIGINATES ON THE SURFACE OF THE PAVEMENT, OR, ON POORLY DRAINED SHOULDER AREAS. THE VALUE OF SHOULDER TREATMENT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD SHOULDER MAINTENANCE IS EMPHASIZED TO PREVENT PUMPING. GOOD SHOULDERS, WELL MAINTAINED, MAKE A SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTION TOWARD CONTROLLING PUMPING OF FINE-GRAINED SOIL SUBGRADES OR BLOWING OF GRANULAR SUBBASES.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrbbulletin/151/151-006.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • No 151, pp 9-10 Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Spencer, W T
• Publication Date: 1957

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Pagination: 2p
• Monograph Title: Symposium on Highway Shoulders
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Bulletin
  • Issue Number: 151
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Granular materials; Highway maintenance; Prevention; Pumping (Pavements); Rigid pavements; Road shoulders; Subbase materials
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Pavements; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00203410
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jul 7 1994 12:00AM