Characterization Analysis and Design of Hydrated Cement Treated Crushed Rock Base as a Road Base Material in Western Australia

Abstract

The paper reports on the characterization of hydrated cement treated crushed rock base (HCTCRB), widely used as a road base material for Western Australian roads, the design and use of which is based on an empirical approach and experience respectively. However, the traditional methods are not sufficient to achieve acceptable pavement performance. In the present, a mechanistic approach becomes more reliable in pavement design and analysis. Consequently, the characterization of HCTCRB following the mechanistic pavement design and analysis concept is necessary. The main objective of this study is to report the result of standard and sophisticated laboratory tests to assess the mechanical characteristics of HCTCRB based on the mechanistic concept. Conventional triaxial tests and repeated load triaxial tests were performed. Factors which would affect the performance of HCTCRB, hydration periods, and the amount of added water were also investigated. CIRCLY, a computer program based on the multi-layer elastic theory was used in the mechanistic approach of pavement design and analysis to determine the performance of a typical pavement model using HCTCRB as a base course layer and then the mechanistic pavement design parameters of HCTCRB for a base course material were introduced.