Investigation on Pavement Service Life Based On Interfacial Behaviour of Black Cotton Soils with Ricehusk and Baggase Ash of Rural Roads

Abstract

Many important decisions are necessary in order to successfully provide and manage a pavement network. At the heart of this process is the prediction of needed future construction events. One approach to providing a single numeric on the condition of a pavement network is the use of pavement remaining service life (RSL). This report presents the framework for replacing the current RSL terminology with one based on more exact construction event terms.

Black cotton soil causes many problems to road constructed on it. About 20% of the soil found in India is expansive in nature. Roads on black cotton soils are known for bad condition. In rainy season black cotton soil absorbs water heavily which results into swelling and softening of soil. In addition to this it also loses its strength and becomes easily compressible. Black cotton soil has tendency to heave during wet condition. In summer season reduction in water content it shrinks and produces cracks. Thus as a result of this roads on black cotton soil suffer from early failures in pavement with heavy traffic excessive unevenness, ruts, waves and corrugations are formed. This study deals with improving the properties of black cotton soil through addition of locally available industrial wastes as Foundry Sand, Rice Husk Ash and Bagasse Ash. Laboratory tests were conducted on various proportions of mixes of black cotton soil and industrial wastes 0% to 60% at the interval of 10%. The soaked CBR value untreated soil is 2.08%. The soaked CBR value of mix soil: rice husk ash in the proportion of 60:40 is 10.04% which is increased by 79.28% in comparison with untreated soil. Stabilized pavement by using industrial wastes saved 21.91% cost as comparison with conventional flexible pavement.