Investigation of Construction Concepts for Pavements Across Soft Ground: Fid-Bau Portal

Investigation of Construction Concepts for Pavements Across Soft Ground

S. L. Webster / S. J. Alford

This study was a follow-up of the Bridge Approach Study reported in U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station Technical Report S-77-1, February 1977, titled 'Investigation of Construction Techniques for Tactical Bridge Approach Roads Across Soft Ground.' During the Bridge Approach Study, several construction techniques compatible with wet weather construction were investigated for the building of bridge approach roads over soft ground. Results showed that thickness requirements for unsurfaced roads could be reduced substantially using aggregate-membrane construction concepts. Another finding was the potential use of sand-confinement systems for base courses as an expedient construction technique not adversely affected by wet weather conditions. The objectives of this study were (a) to conduct additional tests on the aggregate-membrane concept; (b) to investigate the use of sand-filled confinement grids as an expedient wet weather concept for base course layers; and (c) to analyze and combine the results of this study with those of the Bridge Approach Study. To accomplish these objectives, a test section containing six items was constructed and subjected to accelerated traffic using two different loads on a 5-ton military cargo truck.