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CALIFORNIABEARINGRATIOTEST
OBJECTIVE
TodeterminetheCaliforniabearingratiobyconductingaloadpenetrationtestinthelaboratory.
NEEDANDSCOPE
Thecaliforniabearingratiotestispenetrationtestmeantfortheevaluationofsubgradestrengthofroadsand
pavements.Theresultsobtainedbythesetestsareusedwiththeempiricalcurvestodeterminethethickness
of pavement and its component layers. This is the most widely used method for the design of flexible
pavement.
This instruction sheet covers the laboratory method for the determination of C.B.R. of undisturbed and
remoulded/compactedsoilspecimens,bothinsoakedaswellasunsoakedstate.
PLANNINGANDORGANIZATION
Equipmentsandtoolrequired.
1. Cylindrical mould with inside dia 150 mm and height 175 mm, provided with a detachable extension
collar50mmheightandadetachableperforatedbaseplate10mmthick.
2.Spacerdisc148mmindiaand47.7mminheightalongwithhandle.
3.Metalrammers.Weight2.6kgwithadropof310mm(or)weight4.89kgadrop450mm.
4.Weights.Oneannularmetalweightandseveralslottedweightsweighing2.5kgeach,147mmindia,with
acentralhole53mmindiameter.
5. Loading machine. With a capacity of atleast 5000 kg and equipped with a movable head or base that
travelsatanuniformrateof1.25mm/min.Completewithloadindicatingdevice.
6.Metalpenetrationpiston50mmdiaandminimumof100mminlength.
7.Twodialgaugesreadingto0.01mm.
8.Sieves.4.75mmand20mmI.S.Sieves.
9.Miscellaneousapparatus,suchasamixingbowl,straightedge,scalessoakingtankorpan,dryingoven,
filterpaperandcontainers.
DEFINITIONOFC.B.R.
Itistheratioofforceperunitarearequiredtopenetrateasoilmasswithstandardcircularpistonattherateof
1.25mm/min.tothatrequiredforthecorrespondingpenetrationofastandardmaterial.
C.B.R.=Testload/Standardload100
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Thefollowingtablegivesthestandardloadsadoptedfordifferentpenetrationsforthestandardmaterialwith
aC.B.R.valueof100%
Penetrationofplunger(mm)

Standardload(kg)

2.5

1370

5.0

2055

7.5

2630

10.0

3180

12.5

3600

Thetestmaybeperformedonundisturbedspecimensandonremouldedspecimenswhichmaybe
compactedeitherstaticallyordynamically.
PREPARATIONOFTESTSPECIMEN
Undisturbedspecimen
Attachthecuttingedgetothemouldandpushitgentlyintotheground.Removethesoilfromtheoutsideof
the mould which is pushed in . When the mould is full of soil, remove it from weighing the soil with the
mouldorbyanyfieldmethodnearthespot.
Determinethedensity
Remouldedspecimen
PreparetheremouldedspecimenatProctorsmaximumdrydensityoranyotherdensityatwhichC.B.R>is
required.Maintainthespecimenatoptimummoisturecontentorthefieldmoistureasrequired.Thematerial
used should pass 20 mm I.S. sieve but it should be retained on 4.75 mm I.S. sieve. Prepare the specimen
eitherbydynamiccompactionorbystaticcompaction.
DynamicCompaction
Takeabout4.5to5.5kgofsoilandmixthoroughlywiththerequiredwater.
Fixtheextensioncollarandthebaseplatetothemould.Insertthespacerdiscoverthebase(SeeFig.38).
Placethefilterpaperonthetopofthespacerdisc.
Compact the mix soil in the mould using either light compaction or heavy compaction. For light
compaction,compactthesoilin3equallayers,eachlayerbeinggiven55blowsbythe2.6kgrammer.For
heavycompactioncompactthesoilin5layers,56blowstoeachlayerbythe4.89kgrammer.
Removethecollarandtrimoffsoil.
Turnthemouldupsidedownandremovethebaseplateandthedisplacerdisc.
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Weighthemouldwithcompactedsoilanddeterminethebulkdensityanddrydensity.
Putfilterpaperonthetopofthecompactedsoil(collarside)andclamptheperforatedbaseplateontoit.
Staticcompaction
Calculatetheweightofthewetsoilattherequiredwatercontenttogivethedesireddensitywhenoccupying
thestandardspecimenvolumeinthemouldfromtheexpression.
W=desireddrydensity*(1+w)V
WhereW=Weightofthewetsoil
w=desiredwatercontent
V=volumeofthespecimeninthemould=2250cm3(asperthemouldavailableinlaboratory)
TaketheweightW(calculatedasabove)ofthemixsoilandplaceitinthemould.
Placeafilterpaperandthedisplacerdisconthetopofsoil.
Keepthemouldassemblyinstaticloadingframeandcompactbypressingthedisplacerdisctillthelevelof
discreachesthetopofthemould.
Keeptheloadforsometimeandthenreleasetheload.Removethedisplacerdisc.
Thetestmaybeconductedforbothsoakedaswellasunsoakedconditions.
Ifthesampleistobesoaked,inbothcasesofcompaction,putafilterpaperonthetopofthesoilandplace
theadjustablestemandperforatedplateonthetopoffilterpaper.
Putannularweightstoproduceasurchargeequaltoweightofbasematerialandpavementexpectedinactual
construction.Each2.5kgweightisequivalentto7cmconstruction.Aminimumoftwoweightsshouldbe
put.
Immerse the mould assembly and weights in a tank of water and soak it for 96 hours. Remove the mould
fromtank.
Notetheconsolidationofthespecimen.
ProcedureforPenetrationTest
Placethemouldassemblywiththesurchargeweightsonthepenetrationtestmachine.(Fig.39).
Seat the penetration piston at the center of the specimen with the smallest possible load, but in no case in
excessof4kgsothatfullcontactofthepistononthesampleisestablished.
Setthestressandstraindialgaugetoreadzero.Applytheloadonthepistonsothatthepenetrationrateis
about1.25mm/min.
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Recordtheloadreadingsatpenetrationsof0.5,1.0,1.5,2.0,2.5,3.0,4.0,5.0,7.5,10and12.5mm.Notethe
maximumloadandcorrespondingpenetrationifitoccursforapenetrationlessthan12.5mm.
Detachthemouldfromtheloadingequipment.Takeabout20to50gofsoilfromthetop3cmlayerand
determinethemoisturecontent.
ObservationandRecording
ForDynamicCompaction
Optimumwatercontent(%)
Weightofmould+compactedspecimeng
Weightofemptymouldg
Weightofcompactedspecimeng
Volumeofspecimencm3
Bulkdensityg/cc
Drydensityg/cc
Forstaticcompaction
Drydensityg/cc
Mouldingwatercontent%
Wetweightofthecompactedsoil,(W)g
Periodofsoaking96hrs.(4days).
ForpenetrationTest
Calibrationfactoroftheprovingring1Div.=1.176kg
Surchargeweightused(kg)2.0kgper6cmconstruction
Watercontentafterpenetrationtest%
Leastcountofpenetrationdial1Div.=0.01mm
Iftheinitialportionofthecurveisconcaveupwards,applycorrectionbydrawingatangenttothecurveat
the point of greatest slope and shift the origin (Fig. 40). Find and record the correct load reading
correspondingtoeachpenetration.
C.B.R.=PT/PS100
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wherePT=Correctedtestloadcorrespondingtothechosenpenetrationfromtheloadpenetrationcurve.
PS=StandardloadforthesamepenetrationtakenfromthetableI.
PenetrationDial

LoadDial

Readings

Penetration(mm)

provingringreading

CorrectedLoad

Load(kg)

Interpretationandrecording
C.B.R.ofspecimenat2.5mmpenetration
C.B.R.ofspecimenat5.0mmpenetration
C.B.R.ofspecimenat2.5mmpenetration
TheC.B.R.valuesareusuallycalculatedforpenetrationof2.5mmand5mm.GenerallytheC.B.R.valueat
2.5 mm will be greater that at 5 mm and in such a case/the former shall be taken as C.B.R. for design
purpose.IfC.B.R.for5mmexceedsthatfor2.5mm,thetestshouldberepeated.Ifidenticalresultsfollow,
theC.B.R.correspondingto5mmpenetrationshouldbetakenfordesign.

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