Improving Quality Assurance of MSE Wall and Bridge Approach Earthwork Compaction

Details

• Creators:
  Mooney, Michael A. ; Nocks, Christopher S. ; Seldon, Kristi L. ; Bee, Geoffrey T. ; Senseney, Christopher T.
• Corporate Creators:
  Colorado School of Mines
• Corporate Contributors:
  Colorado Department of Transportation. Office of Applied Research ; United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Backfill Soils Bridge Approaches Class 1 Backfill Clegg Hammers Cone Penetrometers Deflectometers Earth Walls Earthwork Field Tests Geogrids Geotextiles Light Weight Deflectometers (LWD) Mechanically Stabilized Earth Nuclear Gauges Quality Assurance Soil Compaction

  More +
• Publication/ Report Number:
  CDOT-2008-11
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States ; Colorado
• Edition:
  Final Report
• Corporate Publisher:
  Colorado Department of Transportation. Applied Research & Innovations Branch
• Abstract:
  The objective of the study was to investigate the efficacy of new devices for quality assurance (QA) of Class 1 backfill in MSE wall and bridge approach earthwork compaction. Extensive testing at two construction sites, an MSE wall project near Golden, CO, and multiple MSE wall/bridge approach projects near Wheat Ridge, CO, revealed that the light weight deflectometer (LWD), dynamic cone penetrometer (DCP), and Clegg Hammer are all capable of assessing the compacted state of Class 1 backfill. Field test data also revealed that the current CDOT practice of single position nuclear gauge (NG) testing is inadequate. An evaluation of field data demonstrated that target values (TVs) exist for the LWD modulus (ELWD), Clegg Impact Value (CIV), and DCP penetration index that could serve as surrogates for the current 95% compaction requirement. The DCP exhibited two key limitations: moisture sensitivity and penetration resistance from placed geogrid (MSE walls) and geofabric (bridge approach). Because the LWD and Clegg Hammer do not possess the same limitations, these two devices were deemed most suitable for QA of MSE wall and bridge approach earth work compaction.
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  80.24
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:8bd803fda7c61ece0761dd306e2bf1940577f4fee74e31680b93cb89379a099bcf2dfbf2135590d35324c5239c49c83f1d13dc4ed2bffa54f801508fda2ef6fc
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/92941/dot_92941_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.21 MB ]