Lecture 37

APPLICATIONS OF GEOSYNTHETICS IN
UNPAVED ROADS

Prof. G L Sivakumar Babu

Department of Civil Engineering
Indian Institute of Science
Bangalore 560012
• Introduction
• Functions of geosynthetics in pavements
• Performance benefits
• Subgrade conditions in which geosynthetics
• are useful
• Design of reinforced pavements
• Design example
• Geotextile survivability
• Application in paved roads
Introduction
Use of geosynthetics results in significant savings,
improved performance and very good serviceability
in both short term and long term
Geosynthetics have made it possible to construct
roads and pavements in seemingly difficult
situations such as marshy stretches, soft and
organic deposits and in expansive soil areas
Functions of Geosynthetics in Roadways

1. Acts as a separator to prevent two

dissimilar materials (subgrade soils and aggregates)
from intermixing. Geotextiles and geogrids perform
this function by preventing penetration of the
aggregate into the subgrade (localized bearing
failures)

2. Soft subgrade soils are most susceptible

to disturbance during construction activities such
as clearing, grubbing, and initial aggregate
placement. Geosynthetics can help minimize
subgrade disturbance and prevent loss of
aggregate during construction
Concept of Geotextile Separation
Functions of Geosynthetics (contd..)
3. The system performance may also be
influenced by secondary functions of filtration,
drainage, and reinforcement. The geotextile acts
as a filter to prevent fines from migrating up into
the aggregate due to high pore water pressures
induced by dynamic wheel loads

4. It also acts as a drain, allowing the excess

pore pressures to dissipate through the geotextile
and the subgrade soils to gain strength through
consolidation and improve with time
Mechanisms

1. Lateral restrainment of the base and

subgrade through friction and interlock between the
aggregate, soil and the geosynthetic

2. Increase the system bearing capacity by

forcing the potential bearing capacity failure surface
to develop along alternate, higher shear strength
surfaces

3. Membrane support of the wheel loads

Reinforcement Functions
 Benefits
S F R
 Reducing the intensity of stress
on the subgrade
 Preventing subgrade fines from
pumping
 Preventing contamination of
base materials
 Reducing the depth of
excavation
 Reducing the thickness of
aggregate required for
stabilization of subgrade
(S-Separation, F-Filtration, R-
Reinforcement)
 Benefits
S F R
 Reducing disturbance of subgrade
during construction
 Allowing an increase in strength over
time
 Reducing differential settlement in
roadway
and in transition areas from cut to fill
 Reducing maintenance and extending
the life of the pavement

(S-Separation, F-Filtration, R-Reinforcement)

Subgrade Conditions in which
Geosynthetics are useful
• Poor soils
(USCS: SC, CL, CH, ML, MH, OL, OH, and PT)
(AASHTO: A-5, A-6, A-7-5, and A-7-6)

• Low undrained shear strength

f = Cu < 90ka
CBR<3 {Note: CBR as determined with
ASTMD 4429 Bearing Ratio of Soils in Place}
MR  30MPa

• High water table

• High sensitivity
Summary Recommendation
Effectiveness of Geosynthetics as a function of
subgrade strength
Design
Two main approaches
1. No reinforcing effect of the geotextiles
Conservative, applicable for thin roadway
sections with relatively small live loads, where
ruts are 50 to 100mm
2. Reinforcing effect is considered
Applicable for large live loads on thin
roadways, where deep ruts (>100mm) may
occur and for thicker roadways on softer
subgrade
Based on both theoretical analysis and empirical
tests on geotextiles, Steward, Williamson and
Mohney (1977), reports the bearing capacity
factors for different ruts and traffic conditions both
with and without geotextile separators

Design Ruts Traffic Bearing

(mm) (Passes of 80 Capacity
kN axle Factor, N o
equivalents)
Without
<50 >1000 2.8
Geotexitle:
>100 <100 3.3

With <50 >1000 5.0

Geotextile >100 <100 6.0
The Giroud and Noiray approach

Normal highway vehicles including lorries

B= P/p t
L = 0.707B

Heavy construction plant with wide or double tyres

B= 1.414P/p t
L = 0.5B
Load Dispersion, Applied Pressure vs. Settlement
For construction plant, a typical value of pt is 620
kN/m2. The stress p applied to the cohesive
formation by the axle is

P
p =
2(B  2htan α )(L  2htan α )

As the analysis is not very sensitive to the exact

value of tan and experiments indicate that tan
lies between 0.5 and 0.7, tan may be taken as 0.6

p = P
2(B  1 .2h)(L  1 .2h)
Making use of the net elastic bearing capacity (qc)
and the ultimate or plastic bearing capacity (qp),
defined as:
qe = Cu
qp = ( + 2)Cu
where Cu is the undrained cohesion of the
underlying soil

To control any contamination of the aggregate, it

is suggested that in the absence of a geotextile,
the applied load from the axle be limited to qe
for p = qe

P
Cu =
2(B  1.2h)(L  1.2h)
 The value of ho remains valid for very light traffic,
upto about 20 axle passes. However, the aggregate
depth must be increased to ho for heavier traffic,
using
[(125logN  294(r  0.075)]
ho = 0.63
Cu

where N is the number of passes of a standard axle(80 kN)

r is the rut depth in m
Cu is undrained soil cohesion in N/m2 (not in kN/m2)
ho is the aggregate depth in m
The loading is expressed in terms of a number of
passes (N), of an axle load other than the
standard axle load, it can be converted into an
equivalent number of standard axle passes (N)
using

N/N = (P/P)3.93

The suitability of this equation is doubtful and an

alternative, theoretically an appropriate equation
for the conversion of axle loads is given by

N/N = (P/P)6.2
Factors contributing to the extra stability arising from
the presence of a geotextile in an unpaved road use:

1. Enhanced confinement of the subgrade soil

2. Greater spread of the loading
3. An uplift force due to the geotextile tension
Also,
• Confinement of the subgrade soil by a
geotextile controls the local shear, enabling the
design to be based on the plastic (or ultimate)
bearing capacity
• The openings in woven and non-woven
geotextile sheets are sufficiently small to guarantee
this confining effect
Assuming that the geosynthetic deforms to a parabolic
shape, the uplift force (Fg) is
2  1/2
JE(1  (a/2S) )
Fg =
a
Where J is the tensile stiffness of the geosynthetic
E is the geosynthetic strain
A is 1/2 (B+1.2h) and
S is the settlement beneath the tyre

The force Fg reduces the load p and hence the

corresponding relationship is given by
P JE
(+2)Cu = 
2(B  2htanαhta  2htanαh 2
a 1  (a/2S)
The benefit from the geotextile uplift force is
negligible when the rut depth is 75 mm or less and a
reduction of 10% or less in road base is obtained
when the rut depth is 150 mm
Due to the confining effect, the ultimate bearing
capacity is given by
P
(+2)Cu =
2(B  1.2h G )  (L  1.2h G )

where hG is the required fill depth with a geotextile.

The saving in aggregate depth due to the presence of
geotextile (h) is given by

h = ho-hG
 Example
An unpaved road 5 m wide is to be subjected to 1000
passes of a buckle (two axles) (each axle load 120 kN).
On each axle of truck, there are four 0.2 m wide tyres,
inflated to a pressure 700 kN/m2. The underlying soil
has an undrained cohesion of 30 kN/m2 and the road
aggregate is sharp (d50 = 20 mm) and has unit weight
of 18 kN/m3. Of the acceptable rut depth is 150 mm,
determine the road base width using Giroud and
Noiray approach.
Solution
Step 1. N’ = 2000
We have
6.2 6.2
N  P'  120
 , N = 2000    = 24705.6
N'  P   80 

Step2. Hence the loading is equivalent to 24705.6

pass of standard load of 80 kN
We have
125logN  294(r  0.075)
ho =
0.63
Cu
 So h0 =

= 0.796 = 0.80 m

Step3. For construction plant with wide or double

tires

B= 1.414P/Pt and L = 0.5B, Hence

120
B = 1.414x = 0.50 m and L = 0.25 m
700
Step 4. Elastic bearing capacity
P
Cu =
2(B  1.2h o )(L  1.2h o )

120
=
2(0.50  1.2h o )(0.25  1.2h o )

Solving for ho, ho = 0.357 m  0.36 m

Step 5. Ultimate bearing capacity
P
(+2)Cu = = 0.22m
2(B  1.2h g )(L  1.2h g )

h = 0.36-0.22 = 0.14
Hence depth with geotextile = 0.8-0.14 = 0.66 m
Step 6: Contribution due to tension of the geosynthetic

Consideration of tension increases the ultimate

bearing capacity by the term
JE
2
a 1  (a/2S)

For the stiffness being 100 kN/m and strain is 10%,

corresponding to a settlement of 30 cm, the
thickness with geosynthetic reduces to 0.18 m

Hence h = 0.36-0.18 = 0.19

Hence, depth with geosynthetic is 0.8-0.19 = 0.61 cm

Geotextile Survivability

Selecting a geotextile for either permanent or

temporary roads depends upon one thing – the
survivability criteria. These survivability
requirements are not based on any systematic
research but on the properties of geotextiles, which
have performed satisfactorily as separators in
temporary roads and in similar applications.
However, in the absence of any other information,
they should be used as minimum property values.
Geotextile survivability for major projects should be
verified by conducting field tests under site-specific
conditions.
Application in Paved Roads

Appropriate location for placements of geotextiles in a

paved road structure are

• At the interface between the granular sub-base

and the subgrade soil

• Near the underside of the wearing course

• Beneath a surface overlay to a damaged pavement

Subgrade to Sub-base Interface

Placement of geotextile at this level

reduces the possibilities of rutting and
to some effect reduces the thickness of
the sub-base, besides controlling the
contamination of the sub-base by fines
from the subgrade soil
Pavement Wearing Course

The advantage of using a geotextile within a

wearing course helps in

restriction of reflection cracking

reduced rutting
restriction of fatigue cracking

In areas subject to high contact stress, such as

heavily trafficked areas, taxiways, the effect is
beneficial. Extensive research carried at U.K.
clearly indicates that use of geotextiles and
geogrids considerably reduces rutting
Pavement Overlays
• Geotextile can be used as alternatives to
stress-relieving granular layers, seal coats,
rubberized asphalts, etc. for controlling surface
moisture infiltration and retarding reflection
cracks in pavement overlays
• Properly installed, asphalt-saturated
geotextiles function as a moisture barrier that
protects the underlying pavement structure
from further degradation due to ingress of
surface water. In addition, geotextiles can
provide cushioning for the overlay, thus
functioning as a stress-relieving interlayer
• When properly installed, both functions
combine to extend the life of the overlay and
the pavement section