Cyclic Plate Load Testing of Geosynthetic-Reinforced Unbound Aggregate Roads

A laboratory research program designed to investigate geotextile and geogrid reinforcement of the aggregate layer in unbound pavement sections was performed by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center. The investigation's objective was to evaluate the performance of geosynthetic-reinforced aggregate road sections over a very soft subgrade. Standard construction materials were used to construct six aggregate road sections in a large steel box. Each instrumented road section was subjected to cyclic plate load tests to evaluate the performance of the model pavement sections under simulated truck traffic. The mechanistic response and permanent deformation of each instrumented pavement section were monitored periodically during each test. Analysis of the experiment data indicated that the geosynthetics improved the performance of the reinforced pavement sections compared with the unreinforced section in terms of improved load distribution and reduced permanent deformation or rutting. Additional information regarding the reinforcement mechanisms is summarized.