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Research Report 325 The effect of grading on the performance of basecourse aggregate

Published: | Category: Activity management , Research programme , Research & reports | Audience: General

A laboratory study was undertaken to determine the effect of grading/particle size distribution on permanent deformation in multi-stage repeated load triaxial (RLT) tests.

Results showed the coarse gradings with a Talbot’s exponent n-value of 0.8 had the least amount of permanent deformation for high-moisture contents near saturation.

Finer gradings with an n-value of 0.3 had the least deformation in all of the tests in dry conditions at less than 70% of optimum moisture content. Similar performance in terms of permanent deformation was obtained if variations of the n-value were less than 13%.

Based on limiting the variations in n-value to ± 13% new grading envelopes for use in the new Transit New Zealand specification for RLT testing were proposed.

Keywords: Aggregates, basecourse, deformation, grading, particle size, distribution, performance specifications for aggregate, permanent deformation, recycled materials, repeated load triaxial, rutting

Publication details

  • Author:
  • Published: August 2007
  • Reference: 325
  • ISBN/ISSN: ISBN 0-478-28737-2 ISSN 1177-0600