the effect of cyclic load on the California Bearing Ration of a Clayey soil. prepared by: Mohammad Zein , Ali Yassin , Hussein Chreim. advisory by: Dr. Robert Nini.

1. Effect of cyclic load
on the CBR of a
clayey soil
Prepared by :
Ali Yassine
Hussein Chreim
Mohammad Zein
Advisor: Dr. Robert Nini
Soil
Unloading
Soil Reloading
Soil
Loading

2. Project content
• Part 1 : Introduction
• Part 2 : Literature review
• Part 3 : Experimental part
• Part 4 : Analysis part
• Part 5 : Conclusions and Recommendations

3. Part 1
Introduction

4. Introduction
The traffic load on a highway is not uniform during the
time.
The clay is the main subgrade of many countries.
 California Bearing Ratio (CBR) of clay is weak.
The CBR decreases with moisture content.
For this reason, the cyclic load will be tested in this
project

5. Introduction
The experiments performed in this project :
1. Proctor test
2. CBR test
3. Atterberg limit
4. Hydrometer test
5. Specific gravity
6. Sieve analysis
 The cyclic load will be done for 0.1 in and 0.2 in penetration.
The CBR will be done for 3 cycles of loading.
Six soil samples were collected from Lebanon to get various
results.

6. Part 2
Literature Review

7. Literature Review
 Ali and Mir, (2016)
They used the human hair fibers to enhance the CBR of clayey
soil.
 Frangieh et al.(2015)
They tried to improve the CBR value of clay by draining the clay
by using a layer of sand between the layers of clay in the CBR
mold.
 Vibhakar and Nahta (2014)
They used some fibers in the CBR mold to get higher values on
the CBR test.
 Wojcieh and Gluchowski (2013)
They tried to discover how the CBR value of clay is affected by
using different type of load .
 Yetimoglu et al (2005)
They studied the effect of reinforcing sand fills with fibers
overlying the soft clay.

8. Part 3
Experimental Part

9. Experimental Part
• Main experiments
1. Proctor Test:
optimum moisture content (OMC)
2. California Bearing Ratio
(CBR)
loading Unloading
Reloading
Proctor Test

10. Experimental part
• Identification Tests
 Sieve Analysis
 Atterberg Limits
Atterbeg Test Sieve Nb.40

11. Experimental part
• Identification Tests
 Specific Gravity
 Hydrometer test
Hydrometer Test
Sample Preparation

12. Methodology Flow Chart

13. Experimental Part
• Working on different types of soils was a necessity in
order to cover different types of Lebanese clayey soils.
Six clayey soil were collected from Lebanon.

14. Experimental Part
• Result of Experiments
Soil (Shoukin)
- Silt and Clay fraction = 88.5% - PL=32.6%
- Clay fraction =62% - LL=57%
- PI=33.33%
y = -0.0047x2 + 0.1718x + 14.883
R² = 0.9999
16.2
16.25
16.3
16.35
16.4
16.45
16.5
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
DryunitweightKN/m3
Water content %
PROCTOR
proctor
Poly. (proctor)
OMC= 18.28%
ODD= 16.45 KN/m3
HYDROMETER ATTERBERG

15. Experimental Part
• Result of Experiments
Soil (Jbaa) y = -0.012x2 + 0.4133x + 7.78
R² = 0.9855
10.2
10.5
10.8
11.1
11.4
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
DryunitweighrKN/m3
water content %
proctor
proctor
Poly. (proctor)
-Silt and Clay fraction = 57.59% - PL= 30%
-Clay fraction =41.44% - LL=63.81%
-PI=33.81%
Hydrometer Result Atterberg Result
OMC= 17.22%
ODD= 11.34KN/m3

16. Experimental Part
• Result of Experiments
Soil (Zawtar)
y = -0.0081x2 + 0.3434x + 6.5439
R² = 0.9993
9.5
9.6
9.7
9.8
9.9
10
10.1
10.2
10.3
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
DRyunitweightKN/m3
Water content %
proctor
proctor
Poly. (proctor)
-Silt and Clay fraction = 76.99% - PL=43.85%
-Clay fraction =53.99% - LL=57.94%
-PI=14.09%
Hydrometer Result Atterberg Result
OMC= 21.2 %
ODD= 10.18 KN/m3

17. Experimental Part
• Result of Experiments
Soil (Kfaroman)
y = -524.57x2 + 96.282x + 15.763
R² = 0.9864
18
18.5
19
19.5
20
20.5
0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14%
DryunitweightKN/m3
water contrent %
Proctor
Proctor
Poly. (Proctor)
-Silt and Clay fraction = 47.82% - PL=19.15%
-Clay fraction =24.01% - LL=33.8%
-PI=14.65%
Hydrometer Result Atterberg Result
OMC= 9.7%
ODD= 20.22 KN/m3

18. Experimental Part
• Result of Experiments
Soil (Houmin) y = -0.0336x2 + 1.3967x + 2.9169
R² = 0.9997
15
15.5
16
16.5
17
17.5
18
10 15 20 25 30
DryunitweightKN/m3
Water content %
Proctor
Proctor
Poly. (Proctor)
-Silt and Clay fraction = 50.35% - PL=44.82%
-Clay fraction =31.28% - LL=60.76%
-PI=15.94%
Hydrometer Result Atterberg Result
OMC= 20.78%
ODD= 17.43 KN/m3

19. Experimental Part
• Result of Experiments
Soil (Kfartbnit)
y = -0.0114x2 + 0.514x + 10.451
R² = 0.9924
14.4
14.8
15.2
15.6
16
16.4
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
DryunitweightKN/m3
Water content %
proctor
proctor
Poly. (proctor)
-Silt and Clay fraction = 88.53% - PL=33.33%
-Clay fraction =62.01% - LL=52.74%
-PI=19.41%
Hydrometer Result Atterberg Result
OMC= 22.54%
ODD= 16.25 KN/m3

20. Experimental part : CBR
• Soil 1 ( Houmin)
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35
PressurekPA
Penetration(in)
Virgin clay
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
Presaure(kPa)
Penetration(in)
At 0.1 in
cbr loaded
cbr reloaded
cbr reloaded 2
cbr reloaded 3
CBR Loaded
CBR reloaded
CBR reloaded 2
CBR reloaded 3
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35
Pressure(kPa)
Penetration(in)
At 0.2 in
cbr loaded
cbr reloaded
cbr reloaded 2
cbr loaded 3
CBR loaded
CBR reloaded
CBR reloaded 2
CBR reloaded 3

21. Experimental part : CBR
• Soil 2 (Jbaa)
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
Pressure(kPa)
Penetration(in)
Virgin clay
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
Pressure(kPa)
Penetration(in)
At 0.1in
cbr loaded
cbr reloaded
CBR loaded
CBR reloaded
CBR reloaded
2CBR reloaded
3
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35
Pressure(kPa)
Penetration(in)
At 0.2in
cbr loaded
cbr reloaded
cbr reloaded 2
cbr loaded 3
CBR loaded
CBR reloaded
CBR reloaded 2
CBR reloaded 3

22. Experimental part : CBR
• Soil 3 (Kafaroman)
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
Pressure(kPa)
Penetration(in)
Virgin clay
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35
Pressure(kPa)
Penetration(in)
At 0.1in
cbr loaded
cbr reloaded
cbr reloaded 2
cbr reloaded 3
CBR
loadedCBR
reloadedCBR
reloaded 2CBR
reloaded 3
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35
Pressure(kPa)
Penetration(in)
At 0.2in
cbr loaded
cbr reloaded
cbr reloaded 2
cbr reloaded 3
CBR loaded
CBR reloaded
CBR reloaded 2
CBR reloaded 3

23. Experimental part : CBR
• Soil 4 (Kfartbnit)
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
0.35
0.4
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35
Pressure(kPa)
Penetration(in)
Virgin clay
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
0.35
0.4
0.45
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
Pressure(kPa)
Penetration(in)
At 0.1in
cbr loaded
cbr reloaded
CBR loaded
CBR reloaded
CBR reloaded 2
CBR reloaded 3
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35
Pressure(kPa)
Penetration (in)
At 0.2in
cbr loaded
cbr reloaded
cbr reloaded 2
cbr loaded 3
CBR loaded
CBR reloaded
CBR reloaded 2
CBR reloaded 3

24. Experimental part : CBR
• Soil 5 (Shoukin)
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35
Pressure(kPa)
Penetration(in)
Virgin clay
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
Pressure(kPa)
Penetration(in)
At 0.1in
cbr loaded
cbr reloaded
cbr reloaded 2
cbr reloaded 3
CBR loaded
CBR reloaded
CBR reloaded 2
CBR reloaded 3
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
0.35
0.4
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
Pressure(kPa)
Penetration(in)
At 0.2in
cbr loaded
cbr reloaded
cbr reloaded 2
cbr loaded 3
CBR loaded
CBR reloaded
CBR reloaded 2
CBR reloaded 3

25. Experimental part : CBR
• Soil 6 (Zawtar)
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
0.35
0.4
0.45
0.5
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35
Pressure(kPa)
Penetration(in)
Virgin clay
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
Pressure(kPa) Penetration(in)
At 0.1in
cbr loaded
cbr reloaded
CBR loaded
CBR
reloadedCBR
reloaded 2CBR
reloaded 3
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35
Pressure(kPa)
Penetration(in)
At 0.2in
cbr loaded
cbr reloaded
cbr reloaded 2
cbr loaded 3
CBR loaded
CBR reloaded
CBR reloaded 2
CBR reloaded 3

26. Part 4
Analysis Part

27. Analysis Part: Increment Ratio
Summary Table
CBR
virgin
CBR
First cycle
CBR
Second cycle
CBR
Third cycle
Soils Location 0.1
in
0.2
in
0.1
in
IR 0.2
in
IR 0.1
in
IR 0.2
in
IR 0.1
in
IR 0.2
in
IR
S1 Houmin 0.9 1.08 0.8 0.89 0.99 0.92 0.79 0.87 1.11 1.03 0.83 0.92 1.59 1.48
S2 Kafaroman 2.23 2.93 1.9 0.85 2.88 0.98 2.14 0.96 3.31 1.13 2.57 1.15 3.69 1.26
S3 Kafartbnit 0.29 0.35 0.33 1.15 0.34 0.96 0.29 1 0.41 1.16 0.3 1.04 0.49 1.39
S4 Shoukin 0.15 0.22 0.19 1.25 0.22 1 0.2 1.31 0.24 1.11 0.19 1.25 0.3 1.35
S5 Zawtar 0.33 0.44 0.38 1.15 0.52 1.2 0.4 1.21 0.7 1.6 0.42 1.27 0.82 1.88
S6 Jbaa 0.12 0.22 0.17 1.49 0.22 1.02 0.2 1.7 0.22 1.01 0.22 1.91 0.25 1.13

28. Analysis Part: identification tests
Summary Table
Soil
Location
Soil 1
Houmin
Soil 2
kafaroman
Soil 3
Kfartbnit
Soil 4
shoukin
Soil 5
Zawtar
Soil 6
Jbaa
Plastic Limit % 44.82 19.15 33.33 23.6 43.85 30
Liquid Limit % 60.76 33.80 52.74 56.93 57.94 63.81
Plasticity Index % 15.94 14.65 19.41 33.33 14.09 33.81
Specific Gravity 2.55 2.64 2.73 2.51 2.54 2.62
OMC % 20.78 9.7 22.54 18.28 21.2 17.22
Maximum dry
density Kg/m3
1743 2022 1625 1645 1018 1134
Sand Fraction % 14.14 48.3 9.56 11.17 6.94 18.09
Silt and clay
fraction %
50.35 47.82 88.53 84.71 76.99 57.59
Clay Fraction % 31.28 24.01 62.01 52.44 53.99 41.44
Silt Fraction % 19.07 23.81 26.52 32.27 23 16.15

29. Analysis Part
The soil S2 with highest sand and smallest clay fraction has the
maximum value of CBR for virgin soil and under cyclic load.
The soil S2 with highest CBR has the highest ɣd for proctor
test.
The increment ratio for CBR in :
 First cycle of load ranges between 0.85→1.25
 Second cycle of load ranges between 0.87→1.698
 Third cycle ranges between 0.92→1.9

30. Analysis Part
The clay fraction alone cannot play any role affecting the CBR
increment.
The soil S5 that has the lowest sand fraction which is equal to
6.94% presents the highest increment ration at 0.2 in.
The soil S6 that has the lowest silt fraction which is equal to
16.15%, shows the highest increment ration at 0.1 in

31. Part 5
Conclusion and Recommendation

32. Conclusions and Recommendations
Conclusions:
• The cyclic load affects positively the CBR of a clayey soil.
• Under higher penetration 0.2 in ,the increasing of CBR under
cyclic load is higher for some soils: S4, S5 and S6 than 0.1 in
penetration. (higher is the applied traffic surcharge, better is
the CBR under cyclic load).
• The cyclic load shows better CBR results than the continuous
load.

33. Conclusions and Recommendations
Recommendations:
• The research will be better if more samples are tested.
• More cycles are beneficial to be done to see if the results will
stay the same.
• The results will be more adequate if the conditions of the
laboratory are enhanced.
• Using the RLT machine is important to get various results.