CHAPTER 5

UNBOUND
PAVEMENT
MATERIALS
Introduction
The choice of pavement material largely depends on the type and cost of
natural materials locally available. In circumstances where several types of
material are suitable the final choice should take into account the expected level
of future maintenance and the total cost over the expected life of the
pavement.
Pavement design requires the efficient use of locally available materials if
economically constructed roads are to be built.
Granular materials (aggregates) – which includes crushed rock aggregates
obtained from hard rock sources, natural (pit-run) gravels, gravel-sand-soil
mixtures either as dug or semi-processed (i.e. screening, crushing of oversized
stones, mixing with other materials (mechanical stabilization) and other artificial
or modified materials.
SOURCES OF AGGREGATES
Naturally occurring gravels – which includes alluvial deposits, and highly
weathered and fractured residual. These may be used as is (pit-run) or may need
further processing to be suitable for use.
Crushed aggregates: Geologists classify rocks into three major types according
to their mode of origin/formation. These are Igneous, Sedimentary, and
Metamorphic rocks
Recycled material - the use of pulverized concrete from pavements, sidewalks,
and buildings being demolished is growing in some countries both due to the
increased cost of natural aggregates and the desire to recycle rather than landfill
these materials. Recycled concrete is crushed, processed, and used as base
material and in concrete and asphalt paving mixtures.
AGGREGATE TESTS
Aggregates are obtained from different sources and consequently differ
considerably in their constitutions; they differ also with regard to their
engineering properties.
The properties of aggregate that are important for road construction include its
cleanliness (contamination with dust and other deleterious materials), particle
size and shape, gradation, toughness - resistance to crushing,
wearing/abrasion resistance, durability/soundness, specific gravity and water
absorption, surface texture, bonding property with bitumen, etc.
Aggregate tests are necessary to determine the suitability of the material for a
specific use and to make sure that the required properties are consistently
within specification limits.
Gradation test
Gradation is the characteristic of aggregates on which perhaps the
greatest stress is placed in specifications for highway bases, cement
concretes, and asphalt mixes. Hence, gradation test, also called sieve
analysis, screen analysis or mechanical analysis, is the most
common test performed on aggregates to evaluate the suitability of
the aggregate materials with respect to their grain size distribution
for a specific use.
Aggregate sizes
Aggregates for HMA are usually classified by size as coarse
aggregates, fine aggregates, or mineral fillers. ASTM defines coarse
aggregate as parti­cles retained on a No. 4 (4.75 mm) sieve, fine
aggregate as that passing a No. 4 sieve (4.75 mm), and mineral filler
as material with at least 70 per­cent passing the No. 200 (75 µm)
sieve. Other agencies may use the No. 8 (2.36 mm) sieve (e.g., the
Asphalt Institute) or the No. 10 (2.00 mm) sieve as the dividing line
between coarse and fine aggregates.
Aggregate Crushing Value (ACV) Test.
Aggregate crushing test evaluates the resistance of aggregates against the
gradually applied load. The test is used to evaluate the crushing strength of
available supplies of rock, and in construction, to make sure that minimum
specified values are maintained.
To achieve a high quality of pavement, aggregate possessing low aggregate
crushing value should be preferred.
The test is undertaken using a metal plunger to apply gradually a standard load of 400kN to a
sample of the aggregate (10 – 14 mm) contained in a standard test mould. The amount of
material passing 2.36 mm sieve in percentage of the total weight of the sample is referred to as
the Aggregate Crushing value (ACV). Over the range of normal road making aggregates, ACVs
vary from 5 percent for hard aggregates to 30 percent for weaker aggregates.
Aggregate Impact Test.
This test is a means of evaluating the resistance of aggregates to sudden impact
loading.
It is carried out by filling a steel test mould with a sample of aggregate (10 – 14
mm) and then the impact load applied is by dropping hammer at a height of 380
mm. The Aggregate Impact Value (AIV) is the percentage of fines passing 2.36
mm sieve after 15 blows.
Abrasion Test
Abrasion test is the test used to know how the aggregate is sufficiently hard to
resist the abrasive effect of traffic over its service life.
The most widely used abrasion test is the Los Angeles Abrasion Test which
involves the use of a steel drum, revolving on horizontal axis, into which the test
sample of chippings is loaded together with steel balls of 46.8 mm diameter. The
Los Angeles Abrasion Value (LAV) is the percentage of fines passing the 1.7 mm
sieve after a specified number of revolutions of the drum at specified speed.
Soundness Test.
This test procedure is useful in both survey and design for the evaluation of
aggregates to resist disintegration due to weathering.
A sample of aggregate is saturated in a solution of magnesium sulphate or
sodium sulphate, and then removed and dried in an oven. This process is
repeated for five cycles. On completion, the percentage lost gives the durability
of the material.
Shape Tests
Three mechanical measures of particle shape which may be included in the specifications for
aggregates for road construction, are the flakiness index, elongation index and angularity
number.
The flakiness index of an aggregate is the percentage by weight of particles whose least
thickness is less than three-fifths of their mean dimension. The mean dimension, as used in each
instance, is the average of two adjacent sieve aperture sizes between which the particle being
measured is retained by sieving.
The elongation index of an aggregate is the percentage by weight of particles whose greatest
length is greater than 1.8 times their mean dimension.
The angularity number of an aggregate is the amount, to the nearest whole number, by which
the percentage of voids exceeds 33 when an aggregate is compacted in a specified manner in a
standardized metal cylinder.
Blending aggregates
To meet the gradation requirements of aggregates for particular uses in
pavement construction, it is often necessary to blend two or more aggregates
together. Charts and diagrams are available to do this blending, but the trial-
and-error method is simpler and just about as fast as more complex methods.
Consider two aggregates graded and designated as aggregate A and B, and let
the specification limit be as given in Table 5 1. The use of the trail-and-error
method for blending is then illustrated as follows:
  % Passing
Sieve Aggregate A Aggregate B Specification Mid-point Combined
aggregate
12.5 mm 100 100 90-100 95 100
No. 10 0 100 40-55 48 48
No. 200 0 14 5-10 8 7
Blending aggregates
It is clear in Table 5.1 that all the material passing a No.10 sieve must come from
aggregate B, i.e., approximately 48% which leaves 52 % for aggregate A. Or consider the
retained percentage on No.10 sieve for alternative solution. All materials retained on
No.10 must come from aggregate A, which is 52 % require in the specification, i.e. 52 %
from A and 48% from B. In both cases, the proportion which best fits the specification
limits can be satisfied. The following equation may be written to apply the procedure to
any given sieve:
aA + bB +cC = T
It is known that a + b + c = 1
where, A, B and C are percentages from aggregates A, B and C to be blended for
satisfying the specification limits. a, b and c are the respective sieve analysis values for a
given sieve X, expressed as a decimal fraction, and T is the sieve analysis value in the
blended aggregate
Example:
Three aggregates are to be blended to meet a specification. The aggregates, gradations, and the
specification are given in Table 5 2.
Sieve size Aggregate A Aggregate Aggregate Specification Spec. Combined
  B C Mid-point gradation
(1st trial)

Passing 12.5 mm 100 100 100 100 100 100

9.5 mm 62 100 100 72-88 80 79
4.75 mm 8 100 78 45-65 55 46
2.36 mm 2 91 52 30-60 45 34
1.18 mm 0 73 36 25-55 40 25
600 m   51 29 16-40 28 18
300 m   24 24 8-25 16.5 11
150 m   4 20 4-12 8 6
75 m   1 18 3-6 4.5 5
Example
Unbound Pavement Layers
Unbound pavement layers include subbase courses and base courses
constructed from gravel and stone materials without addition of a binder.
Unbound pavement materials are spread by use of a dozer and/ or a motor
grader. The material is then compacted to specified density using static or
vibrating steel-wheeled rollers. In order to achieve the specified density the
water content must be kept as close as possible to the optimum for compaction
with the particular roller in use.
Different manuals give specifications and criteria that should be met by the
materials. Road Note 31 gives following guidelines for unbound pavement
materials.
Subbases
Unbound subbases are generally made from naturally occurring gravel. Screening Grading may
be necessary to remove larger-size particles. Recommendations for the particle requirements
size distribution are given in Table 14.1.
Subbases
The fines of granular subbase materials should have a limited plasticity
depending on the moisture regime where the material is used. The liquid limit
(LL) and the plasticity index (PI) should not exceed the following values: •
 in wet, tropical climates, 35, respectively 6 % ;
 in seasonally wet climates, 45, respectively 12%;
 in arid and semi-arid climates, 55, respectively 20%.
If the material is too plastic, it may be modified by mixing it with a little cement.
A minimum CBR of 30% is recommended for subbase materials compacted to
the required field density, normally 95% of the maximum dry density using
modified Proctor compaction.
Bases
Unbound bases may be constructed from a range of different
granular materials. In the tropics the most widespread types are:
 Natural gravel;
 Crushed gravel and crushed rock;
Natural gravel
Table 14.2 shows the
recommended particle size
distributions for natural
gravel suitable for base
construction. The 10 mm
nominal size should only
be used on roads which
carry light traffic.
To meet the grading
requirement, screening and
crushing of larger particle
sizes may be required.
Natural gravel
The fines of the gravel should preferably be non-plastic. The plasticity index (PI)
should not exceed 6%. In arid and semi-arid areas the maximum allowable PI
can be increased to 12%. In cases where it is difficult to meet the plasticity
requirement, the gravel may be modified by mixing with a few per cent of
cement or hydrated lime.
A minimum CBR of 80% is recommended for base materials after being
compacted to specified field density. This is normally 98% of the maximum dry
density achieved in the modified Proctor compaction test. All samples should be
tested after four days of soaking. In arid and semi-arid areas the specified
minimum soaked CBR is reduced to 60%. Coarse gradings may be unsuitable for
Proctor and CBR tests.
Crushed Gravel and Crushed Rock Base
Crushed gravel is produced by crushing and screening natural gravel and boulders. A
proportion of the fine fraction may be natural, uncrushed material. Crushed rock is
manufactured by crushing fresh, quarried rock. Recommended grading limits are shown
in Table 14.3. The particles should be angular in shape with a flakiness index less than
35%. Specific limits on the maximum Los Angeles abrasion value or the aggregate
impact value may be used to ensure adequate durability.
The Pl should not exceed 6%. It may be necessary to add a little cement or hydrated
lime to meet this requirement. Great care should be taken when dealing with materials
originating from weathering of basic igneous rocks.
The compaction requirement is usually the same as for a base course made from
natural gravel, i.e. 98% of the maximum dry density obtained in the modified Proctor
test.
Crushed Gravel and Crushed Rock Base