BFC 3042 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING Lecturer: Mr. Basil David Daniel BFC 3042 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING Lecturer: Mr.

2 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING Lecturer: Mr. Basil David Daniel

SUBGRADE PREPARATION: Volumetric Calculations

METHODS OF MEASURING FIELD DENSITY

Chapter 4 (2) BALLOON APPARATUS

ROAD CONSTRUCTION
The volume of the sample hole is determined by
Earthwork Calculations forcing a liquid-filled balloon into the test hole.
The rubber membrane allows the fluid to fill all the
cavities in the test hole.
The volume of fluid required to do this is read on a
scale on the apparatus.

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BFC 3042 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING Lecturer: Mr. Basil David Daniel BFC 3042 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING Lecturer: Mr. Basil David Daniel

SUBGRADE PREPARATION: Volumetric Calculations SUBGRADE PREPARATION: Volumetric Calculations

METHODS OF MEASURING FIELD DENSITY Calculation of Soil and Water required for Embankment construction

(1) SAND CONE / SAND REPLACEMENT

The volume of the test hole is obtained from the

loose sand required to fill the hole. The sand used
is uniform, medium sand that has a constant loose
density.
Embankment Borrow pit
The difference between the mass of the apparatus
before and after the test is equal to the mass of
sand used to fill the test hole and cone. Length of proposed road = 10 km
As the amount to fill the cone is constant, therefore Height of road embankment = 2.0 m
the mass in the test hole and the volume of the
test hole can be calculated. Cross-sectional area of embankment = 20 m2
Distance of borrow pit from embankment = 5 km

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BFC 3042 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING Lecturer: Mr. Basil David Daniel BFC 3042 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING Lecturer: Mr. Basil David Daniel

SUBGRADE PREPARATION: Volumetric Calculations SUBGRADE PREPARATION: Volumetric Calculations

(a)
Results from Laboratory Compaction Test:
Dry density of borrow material dry = bulk / (1 + w) = 1.65 / (1 + 0.07) = 1.54 Mg/m3
Max. dry density = 1.75 Mg/m3
Optimum moisture content = 10%
Compaction requirement: 97% of max. dry density:
0.97 x 1.75 Mg/m3 = 1.70 Mg/m3
Borrow material:
Bulk density = 1.65 Mg/m3
1 m3 compacted embankment requires 1.70/1.54 = 1.10 m3 of borrow material.
Water content = 7%

(b)
Bulking factor = 1.25
Total volume of embankment = AL = 20 x 10,000 = 200,000 m3
Additional water required = (OMC WC) x dry x V
Specification: Soil is to be compacted to 97% of the maximum dry
density determined in BS 1377 compaction test. = (0.10 0.07) x 1.70 x 200,000
5 = 10,200 Mg 7

BFC 3042 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING Lecturer: Mr. Basil David Daniel BFC 3042 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING Lecturer: Mr. Basil David Daniel

SUBGRADE PREPARATION: Volumetric Calculations SUBGRADE PREPARATION: Volumetric Calculations

Assuming unit weight of water is 1 Mg/m3,

Determine,
Total volume of water required = 10,200 m3
(a) Volume of borrow material required for 1 cubic meter of compacted
road embankment
(c)
(b) Volume of additional water required for the entire volume of
embankment. Soil inside truck is in loose condition, i.e. volume is the volume after excavation
which is subjected to swelling (bulking).
(c) The number of truckloads of soil required if hauling capacity per truck
is 10 m3. Soil before excavation = 1.10 x 200,000 = 220,000 m3
(d) Cost of construction of embankment given the following costs: Soil after excavation = 1.25 x 220,000 = 275,000 m3
Purchase and borrow pit material at site, haul 2 km round trip, and
spread with bulldozer = RM 50/m3
Truckloads of soil required = 275,000 m3 / 10 m3 = 27,500 truckloads
Extra haul for each km round trip = RM 5/m3
Compaction = RM 5/m3

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BFC 3042 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING Lecturer: Mr. Basil David Daniel BFC 3042 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING Lecturer: Mr. Basil David Daniel

SUBGRADE PREPARATION: Volumetric Calculations

Assuming unit weight of water is 1 Mg/m3,

Total volume of water required = 10,200 m3

(c)
Soil inside truck is in loose condition, i.e. volume is the volume after excavation
which is subjected to swelling (bulking).
Soil before excavation = 1.10 x 200,000 = 220,000 m3
Soil after excavation = 1.25 x 220,000 = 275,000 m3

Truckloads of soil required = 275,000 m3 / 10 m3 = 27,500 truckloads

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BFC 3042 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING Lecturer: Mr. Basil David Daniel

SUBGRADE PREPARATION: Volumetric Calculations

(d)
Compaction cost = RM 5/m3 x 275,000 m3 = RM 1,375,000

Purchase and borrow pit material at site, haul 2 km round trip and spread
= RM 50/m3 x 275,000 m3 = RM 13,750,000

Extra haul cost = RM 5/m3/km x 275,000 m3 x 3 km = RM 4,125,000

Total cost = RM 1.375 mil + RM 13.75 mil + RM 4.125 mil

= RM 19.25 million

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