STRUCTURAL EVALUATION OF LOW VOLUME ROAD PAVEMENTS USING PAVEMENT DYNAMIC CONE PENETROMETER

K.C.Manjunath, M.S.Amarnath

Abstract: cone penetration tests are widely used in Foundation engineering for measuring the penetration resistance of the ground and for relating it to the degree of compaction and safe bearing capacity of soils. In Highway Engineering, Pavement Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP) is used for rapid in-situ strength evaluation of subgrade and other unbound pavement layers. In the present studies, an attempt has been made to identify the strength and thickness of different pavement layers of newly constructed low volume roads in the State of Karnataka, India using dynamic cone penetration studies and was compared with actual measurements at the site. The evaluation of pavement test stretches was made for a period of two years, and changes in penetration resistance of different pavement layers were measured. A Software was used to analyze the DCP data and to correlate with field observation. The results have favoured the possibility of using dynamic cone penetrometer as a quality control and pavement monitoring tool for low volume roads, eliminating the need for a Benkelman beam or a falling weight deflectometer.

Keywords: Pavement Dynamic Cone Penetrometer, CBR, Subgrade, Rural roads

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15623/ijret.2013.0213032