Suitability of aggregates gradation for base and subbase layers of pavement

Abstract

The assessment of the suitability of the granulometric composition of the crushed stone aggregates (CSA) for an unbound base and subbase layers of pavement, in the Republic of Serbia is done based on the defined gradation bands, uniformity degree (Cu), coefficient of curvature (Cz), percentage of fines and percentage of particles passing a 0.02 mm sieve. On the other hand, standards which define the quality requirements of aggregates and unbound mixtures for road construction SRPS EN 13242 and SRPS EN 13285 introduce a significantly different approach to the assessment of the granulometric composition suitability. Categories are defined. Each category includes a particular boundary band, tolerances on sieves, differences in values passing each sieve. The categories are defined depending on the field of the application. For seven CSA 0/31.5 mm used for the construction of Corridor XI, a comparative analysis of the granulometric composition suitability was performed according to the requirements of the existing Technical Specifications (TS) of PE "Roads of Serbia" (PERS) and the specified SRPS EN standards. The analysed curves satisfy those technical requirements, but vary in categories from the most severe mixtures of the normal granulometric composition of the GA category, to the open mixtures of the GP category. It was concluded that the principle based on the defining allowed tolerances on the sieves and between the sieves, is more suitable for field control of of the granulometric composition and the good granularity of the aggregates. Technical Specifications should be modified to this approach.

Keywords

• granulometric composition
• crushed stone aggregates
• european standards
• quality control