Development of ME Pavement Design for Cementitious Material Reinforced Subgrades

Building on the Phase I project, “Application of Cementitious Materials and Fiber Reinforcement to Enhance Lime Stabilization for Nebraska Shale Soils,” this study evaluates design parameters for subgrades treated with lime and cementitious additives, with an emphasis on resilient modulus (Mr) testing to advance Mechanistic-Empirical (ME) pavement design. Phase I demonstrated that lime alone has limited effectiveness in stabilizing Nebraska’s challenging shale soils, particularly in the northeast, while combining lime with additives such as fly ash or cement effectively mitigates shrinkage and swelling issues (Ibdah et al., 2024). Phase I included an evaluation of strength properties, such as internal friction angles and unconfined compressive strength (UCS), for only two soils: gray shales and brown lean clay. Results highlighted a need for further research into critical parameters like Mr, especially under environmental stresses like freeze-thaw (F-T) cycles. Meanwhile, subgrade stabilization techniques are vital for sustainable infrastructure in Nebraska, where variable soil conditions and environmental challenges, such as freeze-thaw cycles, can significantly impact pavement performance. However, there is limited data on Mr reduction under freeze-thaw cycles and moisture changes. This study addresses this gap by integrating cementitious materials with advanced geotechnical testing to improve subgrade layer performance and provide reliable ME pavement design inputs. The Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) offers a robust framework for predicting pavement performance by considering traffic loads, climate variability, and material properties (AASHTO, 2008).

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Programmed
• Funding: $180,143.00
• Sponsor Organizations:

  Nebraska Department of Transportation

  1500 Nebraska 2
  Lincoln, NE  United States  68502
• Project Managers:

  Halsey, Lieska

• Principal Investigators:

  Eun, Jongwan

  Teixeira, Jamilla

• Start Date: 20250701
• Expected Completion Date: 20270531
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cement; Pavement design; Soil lime mixtures; Soil stabilization; Subgrade (Pavements)
• Identifier Terms: Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide
• Geographic Terms: Nebraska
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Materials; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01945359
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Nebraska Department of Transportation
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Feb 10 2025 2:14PM