TURF ON STABILIZED SOILS

FOUR OF THE SIX MAJOR TEST ITEMS FROM A JOINT DRAINAGE AND TURF RUNWAY TEST SECTION AT NAHANT, MASSACHUSETTS ARE DISCUSSED. THREE OF THESE ARE BANKRUN SAND GRAVEL, 18 INCHES IN DEPTH, AND ONE IS 1/2 INCH CRUSHED ROCK, 18 INCHES IN DEPTH. ONE ITEM OF SAND GRAVEL AND THE ITEM OF CRUSHED ROCK ARE ON AN IMPERVIOUS BITUMINOUS SUBBASE, THE OTHER TWO ITEMS ARE ON A COMPACTED SILTY CLAY SUBGRADE. EACH ITEM WAS TOPPED WITH ABOUT SIX INCHES OF SAND GRAVEL INTO WHICH A SMALL QUANTITY OF SILTY LOAM WAS INCORPORATED. THE TEST AREAS WERE LIMED, FERTILIZED, AND SEEDED TO RED FESCUE. IRRIGATION WAS USED ONLY TO ESTABLISH THE FESCUE. PLOTS WERE MAINTAINED THROUGH TWO SUMMERS WITHOUT FURTHER IRRIGATION. TURF WAS EASILY MAINTAINED ON ALL SAND-GRAVEL ITEMS. IT SUFFERED SEVERELY FROM DROUGHT ON THE CRUSHED-ROCK ITEM DURING THE FIRST SUMMER. IN APRIL 1948 ROOTS WERE FOUND TO HAVE PENETRATED TO A DEPTH OF 15 INCHES INTO ALL ITEMS. DENSITY OF THE COVER VARIED WITH THE AMOUNT OF NITROGEN WHICH HAD BEEN APPLIED. IT WAS EVIDENT THAT HIGHER THAN NORMAL RATES OF FERTILIZER ARE REQUIRED ON SUCH STABILIZED BASES. WITH THIS EXCEPTION, TURF CAN BE MAINTAINED ON STABILIZED BASES BY NORMAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. ALTHOUGH THIS DEALS WITH AIRPORT RUNWAYS, IT IS CLOSELY ALLIED WITH THE HIGHWAY SHOULDER PROBLEM. /AUTHOR/

• Record URL:
  • https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrbroadsidedevcomrpts/1949/1949-010.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • pp 95 - 103, 3 FIG, 3 PHOT. 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:
  • Cale, E B
• Publication Date: 1949

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Roadside Development Committee Reports
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Airport runways; Base course (Pavements); Clay; Crushed rock; Grasses; Gravel; Road shoulders; Sand; Silts; Stabilized materials; Turf
• Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Highways; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00205014
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: pp 1-8
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Dec 13 1971 12:00AM