Title: Mechanistic-Empirical Strength and Modulus Relationships of Soil-Cement Through a Pavement’s Life

Author(s): Leigh E.W. Ayers and Isaac L. Howard

Publication: Materials Journal

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Issue:

Appears on pages(s):

Keywords: accelerated aging; beam testing; compressive strength; mechanical property relationships; mechanistic-empirical; pavement; soil-cement; static modulus of elasticity

DOI: 10.14359/51740780

Date: 5/1/2024

Abstract:
In this paper, several hundred specimens were compacted and tested to evaluate the potential of beam testing protocols to directly measure four mechanical properties from one beam. Mechanical properties measured through beam testing protocols were compared to properties of Plastic Mold (PM) Device specimens and were found to be comparable once specimen densities were corrected. Mechanical properties were also used to quantify mechanical property relationships often used as pavement design inputs. When compared to traditionally recommended mechanical property relationships, relationships between elastic modulus and unconfined compressive strength as well as modulus of rupture and unconfined compressive strength were overly conservative; however, indirect tensile strength and unconfined compressive strength relationships from literature were accurate. This paper also assessed an elevated temperature curing protocol to simulate later life pavement mechanical properties on laboratory specimens. Mechanical properties of laboratory specimens that underwent accelerated curing were shown to be comparable to 10 to 54 year old cores taken from Mississippi highways.