Abstract
The objective of this study was to find the relationship between soil suction potential and moisture change from the Optimum Moisture Content (OMC) to the long-term equilibrium moisture. The sixty-five Seasonal Monitoring Program (SMP) sites in the Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) program were employed. Suction potential was evaluated using the Soil Water Characteristic Curve (SWCC) characterized. Moisture change wetting and drying from OMC was identified. Maximum wetting moistures are 15.3 and 19.9 percent from OMC and maximum drying moistures are -10.3 and -15.4 percent from OMC for flexible and rigid pavements, respectively. Once reaching equilibrium, the moisture variations were mostly less than 1 percent in terms of gravimetric moisture. OMC has a significant correlation to the percentage passing at 0.02 mm sieve size. As suction potential increased, subgrade became more wetted. The characteristic was more noticeable in rigid than flexible pavements. Groundwater table and precipitation were found not to be dominant factors in causing long-term moisture changes.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bandyopadhyay, S. S. and Frantzen, J. A. (1983). “Investigation of moisture-induced variation in subgrade modulus by cross-correlation method.” Journal of Transportation Research Board, Vol. 945, pp. 10–15.
Cumberledge, G., Hoffman, G. L., Bhajandas, A. C., and Cominsky, R. J. (1974). “Moisture variation in highway subgrades and the associated change in surface deflections.” Journal of Transportation Research Board, Vol. 497, pp. 40–49.
FHWA (1994). LTPP seasonal monitoring program: Instrumentation, installation and data collection guide lines, Report No. FHWA–RD–94–110, U.S. Department of Transportation.
FHWA (1999). An input for moisture calculations—dielectric constant from apparent length, Report No. FHWA-RD-99-201, U.S. Department of Transportation.
FHWA (2000). Moisture content for unbound materials at seasonal monitoring program sites, Report No. FHWA-RD-00-077, U.S. Department of Transportation.
FHWA (2003). Long-term pavement performance information management system pavement performance database user guide, Report No. FHWA-RD-03-088, U.S. Department of Transportation.
FHWA (2009). Long-term pavement performance database, Standard Data Release 23.
Fredlund, D. G. and Rahardjo, H. (1993). Soil mechanics for unsaturated soils, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Fredlund, D. G. and Xing, A. (1994). “Equations for the soil-water characteristic curve.” Canadian Geotechnical Journal, Vol. 31, No. 4, pp. 521–532, DOI: 10.1139/t94-061.
Haliburton, T. A., Snethen, D. R., Shaw, L. K., and Marks, B. D. (1972). “Subgrade moisture under Oklahoma highways.” Transportation Engineering Journal, ASCE, Vol. 98, No. 2, pp. 325–338.
Hall, D. K. and Rao, S. (1999). “Predicting subgrade moisture content for low-volume pavement design using in situ moisture content data.” Journal of Transportation Research Board, Vol. 1652, pp. 98–107, DOI: 10.3141/1652-47.
Hernandez, G. T. (2011). Estimating the soil–water characteristic curve using grain size analysis and plasticity index, MSc Thesis, University of Arizona, Tuscon, Arizona, USA.
Lytton, R. L., Pufahl, D. E., Michalak, C. H., Liang, H. S., and Dempsey, B. J. (1993). An integrated model of the climatic effects on pavements, FHWA-RD-90-033, U.S. Department of Transportation.
Rainwater, N. R., Yoder, R. E., Drumm, E. C., and Wilson, G. V. (1999). “Comprehensive monitoring systems for measuring subgrade moisture conditions.” Journal of Transportation Engineering, Vol. 125, No. 5, pp. 439–448, DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)0733-947X(1999)125:5(439).
Russam, K. (1970). “Subgrade moisture studies by the British Road Research Laboratory.” Highway Research Record, Vol. 301, pp. 5–17.
Selig, E. T. and Mansukhani, S. (1975). “Relationship of soil moisture to the dielectric property.” Journal of Geotechnical Engineering Division, Vol. 101, No. GT 8, pp. 755–770.
Thadkamalla, G. B. and George, K. P. (1995). “Characterization of subgrade soils at simulated field moisture.” Journal of Transportation Research Board, Vol. 1481, pp. 21–27.
Theyse, H. L., Legge, F. T. H., Pretorius, P. C., and Wolff, H. (2007). “A Yield strength model for partially saturated unbound granular material.” Road Materials and Pavement Design, Vol. 8, No. 3, pp. 423–448, DOI: 10.1080/14680629.2007.9690082.
Thom, H. C. S. (1970). “Quantitative evaluation of climatic factors in relation to soil moisture regime.” Highway Research Record, Vol. 301, pp. 1–4.
Topp, G. C., Davis, J. L., and Annan, A. P. (1980). “Electromagnetic determination of soil water content: Measurements in coaxial transmission lines.” Water Resources Research, Vol. 16, No. 3, pp. 574–582, DOI: 10.1029/WR016i003p00574.
Uzan, J. (1998). “Characterization of clayey subgrade materials for mechanistic design of flexible pavements.” Journal of Transportation Research Board, Vol. 1629, pp. 188–196, DOI: 10.3141/1629-21.
Yoder, E. J. and Witczak, M. W. (1975). Principles of pavement design, 2nd edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Zapata, C. E. (1999). Uncertainty in soil-water characteristic curve and impacts on unsaturated shear strength predictions, PhD Thesis, Arizona State Univ., Tempe, Arizona, USA.
Zapata, C. E. and Houston, W. N. (2008). Calibration and validation of the enhanced integrated climatic model for pavement design, National Cooperative Highway Research Program Report No. 602, Transportation Research Board.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bae, A., Stoffels, S.M. Evaluation of Pavement Subgrade Long-term Equilibrium Moisture with Suction Potential. KSCE J Civ Eng 23, 147–159 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-018-1227-8
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-018-1227-8