Specifications : Rural Roads

Subject
Pavement Design, Construction and
Maintenance for Bituminous Roads
Participants
Assistant Engineer/Junior Engineer
Presentation by
Dr P K Jain
IAHE FACULTY
 Introduction
A typical rural road consists of embankment/subgrade
constructed using local soils, sub-base or a blanket
layer of moorum, gravel or similar granular material
followed by base course and sealing with thin
bituminous surface course.
 Pavement materials comprises soils, mineral
aggregates, bituminous binders & modifiers , and
stabilisers like lime, cement, additives
Mineral aggregates constitute major part of total
volume of road construction materials
 Introduction
Materials used in the structural layers of the pavement
should be selected based on availability, economy and
previous experience.
Where previous experience on the performance and
treatment of materials is not available, advice of an
expert agency may be obtained.
The quality of materials, lead to the borrow areas and
climatic conditions are key factors for cost effective
construction
 Characterization of Soil
• Coarse-grained soils: Having more than half the total material
by weight, larger than 75 micron sieve
Fine-grained soils: Having more than half the total material
by weight smaller than 75 micron sieve size.
Highly organic soils: These soils contain larger percentages of
organic matter such as peat and particles of decomposed
vegetation. In addition, certain soils containing shells,
concretions, cinders and other non-soil materials in sufficient
quantities are also included in this group.
 Soil Classification

Sand Gravel

Clay Silt Cobble Boulder

Fine Medium Coarse Fine Coarse

0.002 0.075 0.425 2.36 4.75 20 80 300

mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm
Symbol Description Symbol Description

G Gravel and gravelly soils W Well graded

S Sand P Poorly graded

M Inorganic Silt L Low plasticity

C Inorganic Clay I Intermediate plasticity

O Organic Silts and Clays H High plasticity

Pt Peat - -
Casagrande A-Line
 Characterization of Soil: Index Properties
Liquid Limit
Liquid limit is the minimum water content at which the soil
can flow under its own weight
Plastic Limit
Plastic limit is the minimum water content at which the soil
can be rolled into a thread 3 mm in diameter, without
breaking
Shrinkage Limit
Shrinkage limit is the water content at which further loss of
moisture does not cause a decrease in the volume of the soil
Plasticity Index
PI = LL-PL
 Characterization of Soil
Compaction
Compaction is measured in terms of dry density of soil (d) for
specified value of moisture content (w).
The compaction is mainly depended on moisture content and
compactive effort.
Compactive effort is the amount of energy imparted to the soil.
For a particular compactive effort maximum dry density of the
specimen is determined for a particular value of moisture
content.
The moisture content which gives maximum dry density is
termed as optimum moisture content.
In road construction, particular value of maximum dry density
needs to be achieved for subgrade soil in order to decide the
strength criteria.
 Characterization of Soil
California Bearing Ratio Test
CBR value of soil can be considered to be an index of its
strength.
The test is performed by measuring the pressure required to
penetrate plunger of standard area in a soil sample
The measured pressure is then divided by the pressure required
to achieve an equal penetration on a standard crushed rock
material.
The ratio is usually determined for fixed penetration of 2.5 and
5 mm.
Ratio at 5 mm is consistently higher than that at 2.5 mm, the
ratio at 5 mm is used.
 Characterization of Soil
Swell Test
Free swell or differential free swell, also termed as
free swell index is the increase in volume of soil
without any external constraint when subjected to
submergence in water.
Free swell index of soil is determined as per the
procedure laid down in IS: 2720 (Part XL).
Soil Test Equipments
 Characterization of Aggregates
Aggregates constitute the major component of
materials used in road making.
It is used in granular sub-base ,bases and bases,
bituminous courses and in cement concrete
pavements.
A study of the types of aggregates, their properties
and tests is of great importance
The desirable properties of road aggregates are
grading, strength, hardness, toughness, durability,
shape and adhesion with bituminous binder
Deleterious materials IS: 2386-Part-2
IS: 2720-Part-37
Water absorption and Bulk specific gravity IS: 2386-Part-3
Particle size distribution IS: 2386-Part-1
IS: 2720-Part-5
Flakiness and Elongation Index IS: 2386-Part-1
Mechanical properties including aggregate crushing IS: 2386-Part-4
value, impact value, abrasion value and polished BS: 812-Part-114
stone value.
Soundness Test using either sodium sulphate or IS: 2386-Part-5
magnesium sulphate.
Bitumen Coating and Stripping Test IS: 6241
Water Sensitivity Test AASHTO T 283
 Characterization of Bituminous Materials
Bitumen
Viscosity grade bitumen (VG :10, VG :20, VG :30 and
VG :40) and liquid bituminous binders (emulsion and
cutbacks) are obtained from residues of fractional and
vacuum distillation of petroleum crude oil
 Requirements
Adequate viscosity at the time of mixing and
compaction (Test at 135°C)
Shall not be highly temperature susceptible
Shall not strip off from aggregate in presence of water
Characterization of Bituminous Materials

Bitumen Emulsion: An emulsion is a mixture of two

immiscible liquids; bitumen being dispersed as fine
globules in water in presence of an emulsifying agent.
Cutback Bitumen: Cutback Bitumen is bitumen that
is dissolved in a solvent. Typical solvents include
Naphtha, diesel and kerosene, white spirit etc.
Modified Bitumen: Polymer modified bitumen (PMB)
and crumb rubber modified bitumen (CRMB) are
obtained when viscosity grade binders are modified
by certain additives.
 Tests on Bitumen
Penetration Test
Ductility Test
Viscosity Test
Softening Point Test
Flash and Fire Point Test
Solubility Test
Rolling Thin Film Oven Test
Specific Gravity Test
Bitumen Testing Equipments
 Selection of Binder
Highest Daily Mean Air Temperature, 0C
Lowest Daily Mean
Air Temperature,
Less than 20 20 to 30 More than 30
0
C

More than –
VG-10 VG-20 VG-30
100C
-100C or lower VG-10 VG-10 VG-20
Embankment and Sub-grade( Clause 300)
Unsuitable Materials
Materials from swamps, marshes and bogs,
Peat, log, stump and perishable material; any soil that
classifies as OL, OI, OH or Pt in accordance with 1S:1498,
Material susceptible to spontaneous combustion,
Clays having Liquid Limit exceeding 70 and Plasticity Index
exceeding 45,
Expansive clays with 'Free Swelling Index' exceeding 50
percent when tested as per 18:2720 Part 40,
Materials in a frozen condition
 Embankment and Sub-grade
Unsuitable Materials (contd..)
Materials with salts resulting in leaching in the
embankment, such as salt-infested soils with pH>8.5
(sodic soils), when tested as per IS:2720 Part 26;
Materials with a soluble sulphate content exceeding 1.9
gm of sulphate (expressed as S03) per litre, if deposited
within 500 mm of concrete, cement bound materials or
other cementitious materials forming part of the
permanent works.
Materials with a total sulphate content (expressed as S0 3)
exceeding 0.5 percent by mass, if deposited within 500
mm of metallic items forming part of the permanent
works.
 Embankment and Subgrade
Suitable Materials
The materials used in embankments and
miscellaneous backfills shall be soil, moorum,
gravel, fly-ash, slag, a mixture of these or any other
material approved by the Engineer.
The size of the coarse material in the mixture of soil
shall ordinarily not exceed 75 mm when placed in
the embankment.
The maximum particle size shall not be more than
two-thirds of the compacted layer thickness.
 Embankment and Subgrade
Minimum Density Requirements :
Embankments not subject to flooding: Maximum Laboratory
Dry Unit Weight not less than 14.4 kN/m3
Embankments subject to flooding or exceeding 3 m height:
Maximum Laboratory Dry Unit Weight not less than 15.2
kN/m3

Type of Relative Compaction Percentage of Maximum Laboratory

Work/Material Dry Density obtained by Standard Proctor Testis per
IS:2720 (Part 7)
Embankment Not less than 98%
Expansive Clays 90% -95%
 Granular Sub-Base ( Clause 401)
The material should be natural sand, moorum, gravel, crushed
stone, crushed slag, brick metal, kankar or a combination thereof.
It shall conform to the following requirements as indicated below:
Grading requirement as per MORD Specifications.
Atterberg limits: Liquid limit and plasticity index not more than
25 and 6 percent respectively for all the three grading.
On clayey subgrades, the material passing IS Sieve 0.075 mm
should not exceed 5 per cent.
 Granular Sub-Base
CBR value:
A minimum CBR value of 20 will be acceptable for
granular sub-base.
In case the subbase material if the requisite CBR is not
available within economical leads, the subbase material
meeting any of the specified grading and other
requirements with a soaked CBR of not less than 15 can
be permitted with the approval of the competent
authority.
The wet aggregate Impact Value (IS:5640) shall not exceed
50.
Granular Sub-Base
Grading Requirement
 Granular Sub-Base
Grading Requirement for Gravel Sub-base
 GSB-Physical Requirements
The material passing 425 micron sieve shall satisfy
the liquid limit and plasticity index characteristics
 GSB-Physical Requirements
In case the sub-base material of the requisite soaked
CBR value is not available within economical leads,
the sub-base material meeting the prescribed grading
and other requirements with a soaked CBR value of
not less than 15 can be permitted with the approval of
the competent authority.
 Soil-Aggregate Sub-base/ Base
(Clause 402)
Soil-Aggregate is a mix of stone, sand and fine-sized
particles in the form of naturally occurring materials or
processed to meet the specified requirements for use in
construction of sub-base, base and surface courses.
The material to be used for the work shall be natural
gravel/soil-aggregate or blended with suitable
aggregate fractions of stone, gravel, moorum, sand or
combination of these materials depending on the
grading required.
Soil Aggregate Mixture-Physical requirements
The coarse aggregate shall conform to the following requirements:
Wet Aggregate Impact Value shall not exceed 40 and 30 percent for
use in sub-base, base and surfacing respectively.
Flakiness Index shall not exceed 25 and 20 percent for base and
surfacing respectively (applicable to crushed aggregates only).
Grading should be maintained.
In high rainfall areas, coastal areas and where local soils are salt
infested, if the water absorption value of the coarse aggregate is
greater than 2 percent, the Soundness test should result:
 Loss with Sodium Sulphate, 5 cycles : 12 % max
 Loss with Magnesium Sulphate, 5 cycles : 18 % max
Grading Requirements-Subbase/Base
Grading Requirements for Gravel Sub-Base/ Base Course
Grading Requirements-Subbase/Base
Grading Requirements for Soil Aggregate Sub-Base/ Base Course
Grading requirements- Surface Course
Grading Requirements for Surface Gravel
Grading requirements- Surface Course
Grading Requirements for Soil-Aggregate Mixtures for Surfacing
 Plasticity requirements- Surface Course
Plasticity Requirements for Gravel/ Soil-Aggregate Mixtures for Surfacing
 Strength Requirement-Soil Aggregate Base
The material for use in lower base course layer (layer
immediately above the sub-base) shall have a
minimum soaked CBR value of 50 percent for use in
the construction of upper base course layers a
minimum soaked CBR Value of 80 percent
 Water Bound Macadam (WBM)
Specification given in clause No 405 shall be used
This work shall consist of clean, crushed aggregates mechanically
interlocked by rolling and bonding together with screening,
binding material where necessary, and water laid on a properly
prepared sub-grade/sub-base/base or existing pavement.
Materials
Coarse Aggregates
Screenings
Binding Material
 WBM-Coarse Aggregates
Coarse aggregates shall be either crushed or broken
stone, crushed slag, over burnt (Jhama) brick
aggregates or any other naturally occurring aggregates,
such as, kankar and laterite of suitable quality.
Materials obtained from rocks, such as, Phyllites,
Shales or Slates, etc. shall not be permitted in WBM
construction.
Materials other than crushed or broken stone and
crushed slag shall be used in sub-base courses only.
If crushed gravel/shingle is used, not less than 90
percent by weight of the gravel/shingle pieces retained
on 4.75 mm sieve shall have at least two fractured faces.
 WBM-Coarse Aggregates
The aggregates shall conform to the physical
requirements set forth in MoRD specifications.
If the water absorption value of the coarse
aggregate is greater than 2 percent, the Soundness
test shall be carried out on the material.
Aggregates, like, brick bats, kankar, laterite, etc.
which get softened in presence of water shall be
tested for Aggregate Impact Value under wet
conditions in accordance with IS:5640.
WBM-Coarse Aggregates
Physical Requirements
 WBM-Coarse Aggregates
Crushed or broken stone
The crushed or broken stone shall be hard, durable and free from
excess flat, elongated, soft and disintegrated particles, dirt and
other deleterious material.

Crushed slag
Crushed slag shall be made from air-cooled blast furnace slag. It
shall be of angular shape, reasonably uniform in quality and
density and generally free from thin, elongated and soft pieces,
dirt or other deleterious materials.
The weight of crushed slag shall not be less than 11.2 kN per cum.
It shall also comply with the following requirements:
 Chemical stability: Steel slag shall comply with the requirements of
BS: 1047
 Water absorption: Max. 10 percent
WBM-Coarse Aggregates
Grading Requirement
 WBM-Screenings
Generally consist of the same material as the coarse
aggregate.
Non-plastic material (other than rounded river/ borne
material) may be used for this purpose provided liquid
limit and plasticity index of such material are below 20
and 6 respectively and fraction passing 75 micron sieve
does not exceed 10 percent.
The screenings shall not contain any of the undesirable
constituents, which would render it unsuitable as a fill
material.
WBM-Screenings

Grading Requirement
 WBM-Screenings
Quantity of Coarse Aggregates and Screenings for 100/75 mm
compacted thickness of WBM of 10 sqm
 WBM-Binding Material
Binding material generally meant for preventing ravelling,
shall comprise of a suitable material having a Plasticity
Index (PI) value of less than 6 for sub-base/base course and
4 to 10 for surfacing course.
The quantity of binding material where it is to be used, will
depend on the type of screenings and function of WBM.
Generally, the quantity required for 75 mm compacted
thickness of water bound macadam will be 0.06-0.09 m3/10
m2 for sub-base/base course and 0.10-0.15 m3/10 m2 for
surfacing course.
For 100 mm compacted thickness of WBM (Grading 1) for
sub-base the quantity needed will be 0.08-0.10 m3/10 m2.
Application of binding materials may not be necessary
when the screenings used are of crushable type.
 Wet Mix Macadam (WMM)
Clause No 406 shall be applicable
This work consists of laying and compacting clean, crushed,
graded aggregate and granular material, premixed with water, to
a dense mass on a prepared sub-base/base of existing pavement
in accordance with the requirements of the specifications.
The thickness of a single compacted Wet Mix Macadam layer
shall not be less than 75 mm.
Materials:
Coarse Aggregates
Fine Aggregates
 WMM-Aggregates
Physical Requirements
Coarse aggregates shall be crushed stone.
If crushed gravel/shingle is used, not less than 90
percent by weight of the gravels/shingle pieces retained
on 4.75 mm sieve shall have at least two fractured faces.
If the water absorption value is greater than 2 percent,
the soundness test shall be carried out on the material.
 WMM-Aggregates
Grading Requirements
Materials finer than 425 micron should have Plasticity
Index (PI) not exceeding 6.
 Bituminous Materials
Surface preparation (501)
Prime Coat (502)
Tack Coat(503)
Surface Dressing (505)
Bituminous Macadam (504)
Premixed Carpet (506)
Seal Coat (508)
Mix Seal Surfacing (507)
SDBC (509)
Modified Bitumen (511)
Plastic waste (512)
Cold mixes ( Appendix 1)
 Prime Coat
Choice of a bituminous primer shall depend upon the porosity
characteristics of the surface to be primed as classified in
IRC:16:
 Surfaces of low porosity; such as WBM and WMM;
 Surfaces of medium porosity; such as cement stabilised soil
base; and
 Surfaces of high porosity; such as a gravel/soil-aggregate base
The primer shall be cationic bitumen emulsion SS-I grade,
complying with IS:8887 or medium curing cut back bitumen
conforming to IS:217 or as specified in the contract.
The use of medium curing cut back bitumen shall be restricted
only for the sites at sub zero temperatures or for emergency
applications.
 Prime Coat
Primer Viscosity

Porosity Type of Viscosity at 60°C Rate of

surface Kinematic Say bolt- Furol application
Viscosity cST (seconds) 10 sqm(kg)

Low WMM/ WBM 30 – 60 14 –28 6–9

Medium stabilized soil 70 – 140 33 – 66 9–12
High Gravel base 250 – 500 117 - 234 12- 15
 Tack Coat
The binder used for tack coat shall be Rapid Setting
Bitumen Emulsion Grade RS-1 complying with
IS:8887 or suitable low viscosity paving bitumen of
VG 10 grade conforming to 1S:73.
 Surface Dressing
Binder:
The binder should be bituminous material, which may
be as per the contract, or as decided by the Engineer.
Paving grade bitumen (IS 73)
Modified bitumen (IS 15462)
Rapid setting (RS-2) bitumen emulsion (IS 8887)
Where aggregate fails to pass the stripping test, an approved
adhesion agent may be added to the binder, in accordance
with the manufacturer’s instructions.
 Surface Dressing
Aggregates:
The stone chips (cover aggregate) shall conform to the
requirements except that their water absorption shall
be restricted to a maximum of 1 percent and they shall
have a Polished Stone Value of minimum 60.
The chips shall be single sized, clean, hard, durable,
of cubical shape; and free from dust and soft or friable
matter, organic or other deleterious matter and
conform to one of the grading
 Surface Dressing
Grading Requirement for Aggregates
 Surface Dressing
Recommended Nominal Sizes of Stone
Chippings
 Surface Dressing
Pre-coated chips:
As an alternative to the use of an adhesion agent, the
chips may be pre-coated before they are spread except
when the sprayed binder film is a bitumen emulsion.
Pre-coating the chips may be carried out by mixing
aggregates with 1.0 percent of bitumen by weight of
chips in a suitable mixer.
The chips shall be heated to 160°C and mixed with
the binder heated to 170°C
The pre-coated chips shall be allowed to cure for at
least one week or until they become non sticky and
can be spread easily.
 Bituminous Macadam
Bitumen:
 The bitumen shall be bitumen of viscosity Grade complying
with IS:73 for "Paving Bitumen".
Aggregates:
 The coarse aggregates shall consist of crushed rock, crushed
gravel or other hard material retained on the 2.36 mm sieve.
 They shall be clean, hard, durable, of cubical shape, free from
dust and soft or friable matter, organic or other deleterious
substance.
 Where crushed gravel is proposed for use as aggregate, not less
than 90 percent by weight of the crushed material retained on
the 4. 75 mm sieve shall have at least two fractured faces.
 Fine aggregates shall consist of crushed material, passing 2.36
mm sieve and retained on 75 micron sieve.
Bituminous Macadam
Physical requirements of Aggregates
 Bituminous Macadam
Composition of Bituminous Macadam
 Premix Carpet
Binder:
The binder shall be a viscosity grade bitumen of a
suitable grade as specified in the Contract, or as
directed by the Engineer, and satisfying the
requirements of IS:73.
Grade shall be selected for requirement of climate
Aggregate:
The aggregate shall conform to requirements given
in Table-14 for bituminous macadam except that the
water absorption shall be limited to a maximum of 1
percent.
 Seal Coat
Required Quantities of Binder
 Seal Coat- Aggregates
Stone chips for Type A seal coat:
The stone chips shall consist of angular fragments of
clean, hard, tough and durable rock of uniform quality
throughout.
They should be free of soft or disintegrated stone,
organic or other deleterious matter.
Stone chips shall be 6.7 mm size defined as 100 percent
passing through 11 .2 mm sieve and retained on 2.36 mm
sieve.
The quantity used for spreading shall be 0.09 cum per 10
sqm area.
 Seal Coat- Aggregates
Aggregate for Type B seal coat:
The aggregate shall be sand or grit and shall consist of
clean, hard, durable, uncoated dry particles and shall be
free from dust, soft or flaky/elongated material, organic
matter or other deleterious substances.
The aggregate shall pass 2.36 mm sieve and be retained
on 180 micron sieve. The quantity used for premixing
shall be 0.06 cum per 10 sqm area.
 Seal Coat- Aggregates
Stone chips for Type C seal coat:
The stone chips shall consist of angular fragments of
clean, hard, tough and durable rock of uniform quality
throughout.
The stone chips shall be free of soft or disintegrated
stone, organic or other deleterious matter and shall be of
6. 7 mm size defined as 100 percent passing through 9.5
mm sieve and retained on 2.36 mm sieve.
The quantity used for spreading shall be 0.09 cum per 10
sqm area.