CBR Test
CBR Test
CBR Test
California bearing ratio. The Californian Bearing Ratio (CBR) test is a penetration test used to evaluate the
subgrade strength of roads and pavements. The results of these tests are used with the curves to determine
the thickness of pavement and its component layers.
From point of failure of soils, there are two types of stresses which acts on a soil mass.
1) Normal stress which acts normal to the plane and is of compressive nature as soil does not experience any
tensile forces.
2) Shear stress which acts parallel to the surface of the soil mass and tends to slide or slip that soil mass
from rest of the soil mass. When this shear stress exceeds the shear strength of a soil then it is called
the shear failure for that soil element.
In a Canal :
Foundations :
Note: shear strength is the resistance provided by the soil against the shear stresses acting on it.
Now how we indicate a shear failure?
In a short way, when the intensity of loading exceeds the safe bearing capacity of a soil then shear failure
occurs or we can say when the Mohr’s circle plotted according to different magnitudes of shear and normal
stresses goes beyond the Strength envelope or Mohr failure envelope then Failure of soil mass occurs.
Just for a random example
Shear strength :
In engineering, shear strength is the strength of a material or component against the type
of yield or structural failure when the material or component fails in shear. A shear load is a force that tends
to produce a sliding failure on a material along a plane that is parallel to the direction of the force. When a
paper is cut with scissors, the paper fails in shear.
In structural and mechanical engineering, the shear strength of a component is important for designing the
dimensions and materials to be used for the manufacture or construction of the component
(e.g. beams, plates, or bolts). In a reinforced concrete beam, the main purpose of reinforcing bar (rebar)
stirrups is to increase the shear strength.
CBR for sub-grade
CBR for improved subgrade
CBR for Sub-base
CBR for base coarse
CBR for surface coarse
What is the CBR value for subgrade?
The material can be removed and replaced with a more suitable material. The thickness replaced is typically
between 0.5m and 1.0m. Irrespective of the quality of the new material a CBR value of just under 2% should
be assumed for the subgrade
CBR value for base-course in roadworks. I would like to find out if an unsoaked CBR value can exceed
100% for a base-course material: maximum size aggregate 37.5mmm and having a continuous grading
curve, sourced from a borrow pit. Technical specifications impose a value of minimum 80% for base-course.