Evaluation of Geosynthetics in Unpaved Roads Built over Natural Soft Subgrade Using Full-Scale Accelerated Pavement Testing

In the state of Louisiana, roadways often have to be built over a weak subgrade due to the soft nature of Louisiana soil, which generates many design and construction difficulties. As an alternative to the traditional method of treating the soft soil with lime or cement, two geosynthetic products, a triaxial geogrid and a high-strength woven geotextile were evaluated for reinforcing unpaved roads constructed over natural soft subgrade. A total of six full-scale unpaved test sections were constructed, among which two sections were reinforced by one and two layers of triaxial geogrids respectively while high-strength geotextiles were used to reinforce two of the other sections with different base thicknesses. The remaining two sections were left as control, of which one was constructed over sand embankments as is common practice in southern Louisiana. The test sections were subjected to a full-scale moving wheel load applied by the accelerated loading facility (ALF). A variety of instrumentation was used to measure the load-associated and environment-associated pavement responses and performance. Results of the full-scale testing demonstrate the benefits of geosynthetics in reducing the permanent deformation in the pavement structure.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784413272.295
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9780784413272
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  1801 Alexander Bell Drive
  Reston, VA  United States  20191-4400
• Authors:
  • Tang, Xiaochao
  • Abu-Farsakh, Murad
  • Hanandeh, Shadi
  • Chen, Qiming
• Conference:
  • Geo-Congress 2014
  • Location: Atlanta Georgia, United States
  • Date: 2014-2-23 to 2014-2-26
• Publication Date: 2014-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 3035-3043
• Monograph Title: Geo-Congress 2014 Technical Papers: Geo-Characterization and Modeling for Sustainability

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accelerated tests; Geosynthetics; Geotextiles; Pavement performance; Prototype tests; Soft soils; Subgrade materials; Unpaved roads; Wheel loads
• Geographic Terms: Louisiana
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Pavements; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways; I42: Soil Mechanics;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01522597
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9780784413272
• Files: TRIS, ASCE
• Created Date: Apr 22 2014 4:07PM