Material Properties

Material Types
Unbound (soil)

Natural (i.e., subgrade) Select (i.e., subbase, base)

Asphalt concrete
Portland cement concrete

Stabilized materials

Cement stabilized Bituminous stabilized

Bedrock Recycled

Material Properties Needed for Design

Pavement response model material inputs

Modulus (stiffness) Poissons ratio

Materials-related pavement distress criteria

Permanent deformation resistance Fatigue resistance Strength

Other materials properties

Density Permeability Thermal expansion coefficient

Material Models

(Yoder and Witczak, 1974)

Material Models
Linear elasticity

Asphalt Stabilized layers Unbound layers

Linear viscoelasticity

Asphalt

Nonlinear (all materials, to some extent)

Nonlinear elasticity Plasticity Nonlinear viscoelasticity Viscoplasticity

Soil Classification Systems

Soil Classification

The separation of soil into classes or

groups each having similar characteristics and potentially similar behaviour

Few simple (routine) tests are used to classify soils. Gradation Atterberg Limits

Soil Classification Systems

MIT
AASHTO

USCS
FAA

MIT Classification
Material
Boulder Fine Gravel Medium Coarse Fine Sand Medium

Size (mm)
> 60 26 6 20 20 60 0.06 0.2 0.2 0.6

Coarse
Fine Silt Medium Coarse

0.6 2
0.002 0.006 0.006 0.02 0.02 0.06

Clay

< 0.002

AASHTO Classification
AASHTO: American Association of State Highways
and Transportation Officials

Used mainly for subgrade rating for highway

purposes.

Requires:
Gradation LL PI

AASHTO Classification (Granular Materials)

AASHTO Classification (Fine Materials)

AASHTO Classification

(Coduto, 1999)

Group Index (GI)

GI is used to classify the fine grained soils within
one group and for judging their suitability as subgrade materials.
a = %P#200 35 b = %P#200 15 c = LL 40 d = LL 10 (0 to 40) (0 to 40) (0 to 20) (0 to 20)

GI = 0.2 a + 0.005 a.c + 0.01 b.d

(0 to 20)

GI to the nearest whole number (integer) High GI low quality material EX: A-7-6(5), A-7-6(18)

USCS Classification

USCS: United Soil Classification

System

Used mainly for geotechnical purposes

Requires:

Gradation LL PI

USCS Classification
Soil Symbol Property Symbol

Gravel
Sand Clay Silt

G
S C M

Well Graded
Poor Graded High LL (High Plasticity) Low LL (Low Plasticity)

W
P H L

Peat
Organic soil

Pt
O

Clay
silt

C
M

EX: SC Clayey Sand GW Well Graded Gravel CL Clay with low plasticity

EX: Dual Symbol: SP-SM poorly graded sand with silt

Computing CU and CC

D 60 CU D10
2 D30

Coefficient of Uniformity High Values Indicate WellGraded Soil

Coefficient of Curvature
Values Between 1-3 Indicate Well-Graded Soil

CC

D10 D60

A-Line Chart Separates Clays and Silts

60 50

PLASTICITY INDEX

40

CH

30

CL
20

CL-ML
10

MH OH & MH

ML ML & OL
0 10 20 30 40 50 LIQUID LIMIT 60 70 80 90 100

USCS Classification

USCS Classification (Coarse-Grained)

Less than 5% Fines More than 12% Fines Cu>4, Cc = (1-3) Not satisfying GW Below A-Line PI>7& Above ALine Cu>6, Cc = (1-3) Not satisfying GW Below A-Line PI>7& Above ALine GW GP GM GC SW SP SM SC

CoarseGrained Soils

% P #4 < 50%
(Gravel)

50% or less pass #200

% P #4 > 50% (Sand)

Less than 5% Fines More than 12% Fines

USCS Classification (Fine-Grained)

ML
PLASTICITY INDEX

FineGrained Soils

LL<50%

60 50 40 30
CL CH

CL OL MH CH
60 80 100

More than 50% LL>50% pass #200

20 10 0 0

OH MH & MH

CL-ML ML &
ML OL

20

40

LIQUID LIMIT

OH Pt

Highly Organic Soils

Dual Symbols

USCS

For the following conditions a dual symbol should be used:

a) Coarse grained soils with % fines between 5% and 12% The first symbol is indicative of the gradation (W or P), the second symbol is indicative of the fines. EX: SP-SM poorly graded sand with silt b) Fine grained soils within the shaded zone in the A-line chart (PI between 4 and 7, LL between 12 and 25). EX: CL-CM, Silty clay with Low LL

Comparison between the AASHTO and Unified Systems

Both systems are based on the texture and plasticity

of the soil.

Both systems divide the soils into two major

categories: Coarse grained and Fine grained based on %P#200 SI sieve.

AASHTO:

%P#200 < 35% Coarse grained %P#200 > 35% Fine grained %P#200 < 50% Coarse grained %P#200 > 50% Fine grained

Unified:

Comparison between the AASHTO and Unified Systems (Contd)

AASHTO: #10 sieve separates gravels and sand

Unified: #4 sieve separates gravels and sand

AASHTO : There is no organic soil

Unified : There is organic soil

AASHTO: gravely and sandy soils are not clearly
separated

Unified: gravely and sandy soils are clearly separated

(NCHRP 1-37A. 1999)

(Das, 1990)

FAA Classification
FAA: Federal Aviation Administration

Used mainly for soil classification for airport

construction.

Requires:
Gradation LL PI

FAA Classification
Soil Group E-1 E-2 E-3 % R#10 %P#10, R#60 0-45 0-45 0-45 40+ 15+ %P#60, R#270 6085-

(Yoder & Witczak 1975)

%P#270 152525-

LL 252525-

PI 666-

E-4
E-5 E-6 E-7 E-8 E-9 E-10 E-11

0-45
0-55 0-55 0-55 0-55 0-55 0-55 0-55

354545+ 45+ 45+ 45+ 45+ 45+

354040506040+ 7080-

10151010-30 15-40 3020-50 30+

E-12
E-13

0-55

45+

80+

Muck and Peat Field Examination

FAA Classification Chart for Fine-Grained Soils

Plasticity Index
100 90 E-12 80 E-11 0 10 20 30 40 50 10 60 70

liquid Limit

70 E-9 60 50 40 30 20 10 E-6
(Yoder & Witczak 1975)

E-10 E-8 E-7

It is Hard to be an engineer!