OPTIMUM-DEPTH METHOD FOR DESIGN OF FABRIC-REINFORCED UNSURFACED ROADS

In recent years, the use of engineering fabric, when placed directly on the subgrade and covered with a single aggregate layer, has been a cost-effective alternative in unsurfaced road construction, especially on soft subgrades. Most fabric-reinforced unsurfaced road design criteria use Boussinesq stress-distribution theory to determine the amount of aggregate cover on the fabric. The research presented in this paper shows that placement of an optimum depth of aggregate on the fabric, when related to the width of the loaded area and independent of subgrade strength and wheel load, will increase strength and deformation resistance of the aggregate cover and produce significant Burmister-type modular ratio stress reductions at the subgrade surface. An alternate method for the design of fabric-reinforced unsurfaced roads, based on the described research, is presented. The method requires significantly less aggregate cover on the engineering fabric than predicted by other current methods of fabric-reinforced road design. (Author)

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1983/916/916-004.pdf
• Record URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=OPTIMUM-DEPTH+METHOD+FOR+DESIGN+OF+FABRIC-REINFORCED+UNSURFACED+ROADS&author=T.+Haliburton&author=J.+Barron&publication_year=1983
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  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309035597
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Low-Volume Roads. 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:
  • Haliburton, T Allan
  • Barron, John V
• Publication Date: 1983

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 26-32
• Monograph Title: Engineering fabrics in transportation construction
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 916
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aggregates; Boussinesq equation; Deformation curve; Depth; Design methods; Fabrics; Material reinforcement; Optimization; Pavement base course; Pavement subgrade; Strength of materials; Unpaved roads; Wheel loads
• Old TRIS Terms: Boussinesq formula; Covering
• Subject Areas: Design; Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; I42: Soil Mechanics;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00381703
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309035597
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Mar 30 1984 12:00AM