EXPERIENCES AND DEVELOPMENTS WITH ROAD CONSTRUCTION ON EXPANSIVE CLAY SOILS IN NORTH WEST QUEENSLAND

The combination of an arid climate, high evaporation rates, annual flooding, expansive clays and scarcity of good quality paving material require special design and construction strategies in North West Queensland. As an aid to design, numerous road trials have been carried out to both confirm postulated mechanisms of distress and to develop practical methods of controlling such distress. The conclusions reached in the trials are reviewed in relation to current design principles. It is believed that maintenance of the equilibrium moisture condition is the key factor in controlling embankment and pavement distress caused by the seasonal shrink/swell process. The construction processes involved in achieving this moisture condition in embankments and beneath pavements are described. Special treatments involving stress absorbing membrane interlayers, reinforcing fabrics, floodway protection, culverts, bridges and maintenance procedures are also discussed. (Author/TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0858252198
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Expansive Soils, Adelaide, South Australia, 21-23 May, 1984.
• Corporate Authors:

  Institution of Engineers

  11 National Circuit
  Barton, A.C.T.,   Australia 
• Authors:
  • Luttrell, B J
  • REEVES, I N
• Conference:
  • Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Expansive Soils, Adelaide, South Australia, 21-23 May, 1984.
• Publication Date: 1984

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 340-347
• Serial:
  • Issue Number: 84/3

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Absorption; Clay; Conferences; Construction management; Cracking; Culverts; Defects; Embankments; Expansive clays; Experimental roads; Maintenance; Mechanical equilibrium; Moisture content; Pavement design; Pavement distress; Pavements; Road construction; Stresses; Swelling soils
• Uncontrolled Terms: Membranes; Stage construction
• Geographic Terms: Australia
• Old TRIS Terms: Membranes (Biology)
• ITRD Terms: 8006: Australia; 4177: Clay; 8525: Conference; 5211: Cracking; 3360: Culvert; 2801: Embankment; 7145: Equilibrium; 2778: Experimental road; 3847: Maintenance; 5920: Moisture content; 3055: Pavement design; 3665: Road construction; 3657: Stage construction; 5203: Swelling (soil)
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Design; Geotechnology; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Pavements; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways; I52: Construction of Pavements and Surfacings;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00389715
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• ISBN: 0-85825-219-8
• Files: ITRD, TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 29 1985 12:00AM