The California Bearing Ratio Test (CBR) Test

OBJECTIVE
-To introduce the student to a method of evaluating the relative quality of subgrade, subbase,
and base soils for pavement.

THEORY
The California Bearing Test was developed in 1938, to evaluate Californian highway
subgrade strengths and became the basis for the design of road and airfield pavements
throughout the world. It is used in both situ and on prepared samples in the laboratory, but is
limited to materials of particles sizes sizes up to a maximum of 20mm.
The test determine the relationship between force and penetration when a cylindrical
plunger 1935

mm2

in cross-section is pressed into soil at a given rate of 1 mm/min. For

any given penetration, the ratio is expressed as a percentage of a standard force derived for
crushed stone.
For CBR tests in the laboratory, the soil specimen is prepared at a predetermined
moisture content and is compacted into a cylindrical mould 152 mm in diameter and 127 mm
high either by continuous tamping, compression in three equal layers or dynamic compaction
in layers, using either the rammers or the vibrating hammer used in the compaction test. In all
cases, the mass of soil poured into the mould is calculated as that required to provide the
chosen dry density or air voids percentage on completion of compaction. These usually
correspond to the optimum, determined from compaction tests, or are the values measured on
the soil situ.

APPARATUS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Mold
Collar
Base plate
Spacer disc
FIlter paper

PROCEDURE
1. Prepare approximately 4.5kg of fine grained (-) No. 4 sieve material or 5.5 kg of
19.. maximum-size material to the optimum moisture content of the soil as
determined by the appropriated compaction effort (compaction test). If it is
desired to cure the soil for a more uniform moisture distribution, mix the soil with
the necessary percentage of moisture and store in sealed container for about 12 to
24 h prior to the test.
2. Just before making the compacted mold of soil take a representative water-content
sample at least (100 g for grained soil)
3. Weight the mold less base plate and the collar.
4. Clamp the mold to the base plate, insert a spacer disk (the 15.1 x 5.2cm solid
round disk) in the mold, and cover with a piece of filter paper.
5. Compact the soil using ASTM D698 or D1557 Method B or D for the soil used or
as specified by the instructor. Take a final represantative of water-content sample
from the remaining soil.
6. Remove the collar, and trim the specimen smooth and flush with the mold. Patch
any holes formed from aggregate displacement when scraping the specimen flush
with the mold. Use any of the soil particles for patching that are smaller than the
hole to be filled.
7. Remove the base plate and the spacer disk, weight the mold + compacted soil, and
determine the wet unit weight.
8. Place a piece of filter paper on the base plate, invert the specimen (so the spacer
on the top), and attach the bas plate so the soil is in contact with the filter paper on
the base.
For unsoaked specimens, do step 9 to 11 next; for soaked samples proceed to step 12.
9. Place the sufficient slotted weights (but not less than 4.5 kg) on the sample to
stimulate the required overburden pressure.
10. Place the Specimen in the compression machine and seat the piston using a
seating load no greater than 4.5 kg. Set load and penetration dials to zero.
11. Take penetration readings as outlined in the General Discussion, and take the
corresponding load-dial readings. Extrude the sample, and take two additional
representative water-content samples.
For soaked samples:
12. Place the perforated plate with adjustable stem on the compacted soil and apply
sufficient additional slotted weights to obtain the desired surcharge within 2.2kg
but with a total surcharge weight of not less than 4.5 kg. Record the total

surcharge weight (be sure to include the perforated plate as part of the surcharge
weight). Also be sure to use a piece of filter paper between the perforated stem
base and the soil to prevent the soil from sticking to the stem base.
13. Immerse the mould and weights in a container of water so the water has access to
both the top and bottom of the sample, and attach the dial gage (reading to 0.01
mm) in its holding bracket. Mark the mould where the bracket is placed so that it
can be replaced properly between readings.
14. Set the swell gage to zero and record the time of the start of the test. Take readings
at 0,1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72 and 96 hours of elapsed time. The swell test may
be terminated after 48 hours if the swell-dial reading has been constant for thee
last 24 hours.
15. At the end of 96 hours of soaking, remove the sample and let it drain for 15
minutes. Blot the free surface water from the top surface of the sample with paper
towels.
16. Weigh the soaked sample including the mould.
17. Do steps 9 to 11 (example, take penetration and readings)
18. Take water content samples of the soaked specimen as follows:
Two within the top 3 cm of soil
Two within the bottom 3 cm of soil
Two at the center of the sample

CALCULATION AND DATA PRESENTATION

1. Plot a curve of penetration resistance in kilopascals (kPa) vs. penetration in

millimeters for both the freshly compacted and the soaked samples. If the curve is
not essentially through the origin, extend a line from the straight line portion to
intersect the abscissa. The difference between this value and zero penetration is a
correction to apply to compute the CBR value. Curves for both samples (soaked
and unsoaked) should be plotted on the same graph and clearly identified, together
with the curve correction values, so that one may readily observe the effect of
soaking the sample. Use a sheet of graph paper from the data sheet section.
2. Obtain the penetration resistance from 2.5 and 5.0 mm from the curve and
compute the CBR number.
3. Compute the water contents and dry densities of both samples before soaking and
of the soaked sample and its final state.
4. Compute the percentage of swell based on the nominal initial height of the
sample. Plot a curve of percent swell vs. elapsed time on a separated sheet of
graph paper.
5. The report should compare the CBR values, present a summary of the water
contents properly identified, and include the required curves. Discuss the
significance of a large or small CBR value, any changes in CBR with soaking, and
any swell that occurred. How might the swell be reduced or eliminated for this
soil? Be sure your report includes classification data and the AASHTO
classification of the soil.

DISCUSSION

The CBR tests was developed by the California Division of Highways in 1929 as a
means of classifying the suitability of a soil for use as a subgrade or base course material in
highway construction. During World War II, The U,S, Corps of Engineers the test for use
airfield construction.
The CBR test (ASTM calls the test simply a bearing-ratio test) measures the shearing
resistance of a soil under controlled moisture and density conditions. The test yields a
bearing-ratio number, but from the previous statement it is evident this number is not a
constant for a given soil but applies only for the tested state of soil. The test can be
performed in field on an in-place soil, but this is beyond the scope of this laboratory manual.
The CBR number is obtained as the ratio of the unit load (in pounds per square inch)
required to effect a certain depth of penetration of the penetration piston (with an area of 19.4
cm

) into a compacted specimen of soil at some water content and density to the standard

unit load required to obtain the same depth of penetration on a standard sample of crushed
stone. In equation form, this is

CBR =

test unit load

100
standard unit load

From this equation it can be seen that the CBR number is a percentage of the standard unit
load. In practice, the percentage symbol is dropped and the ratio is simply noted as a number,
such as 3, 45, 98. Values of standard unit load to use in the equation above.
The CBR number is usually based on the load ratio for a penetration of 2.5 mm. If,
however, the CBR value at a penetration of 5.0 mm penetration, the CBR for 5.0 mm is
larger, test should be redone(ordinarily). If a second test yield also a larger CBR number at
5.0mm penetration, the CBR for 5.0 mm should be used.
CBR tests are usually made on specimens at the optimum moisture value for the soil
as determine using the standard compaction test. Next, using Method B or D or ASTM D698
or ASTM D1557 the specimen are made up using the compaction energy shown.
Two one are often compacted one for immediate penetration testing and one for
testing after soaking for a period of 96 h. The second specimen is soaked for a period of 96 h
with a surcharge approximately equal to the pavement weight used in the field but I in no
case the surcharge mass less than 4.5 kg. Swell readings are taken during this period at
arbitrary level selected times, and at the end of the soaking period the CBR penetration test is
made to obtain a CBR value for the soil in a saturated condition.

In both penetration test for the CBR values, a surcharges of the same magnitude as for
the swell test is placed on the soil sample. The test on the soaked sample accomplishes two
things:
1. It givens information concerning expected soil expansion beneath the pavement
when the soil become saturated.
2. It gives indication of strength loss from field saturation.

Penetration testing is accomplished in a in a compression machine using strain rate of

1.27mm/min. Readings of load vs. penetration are taken at each 0.5mm of penetration to
include the value 5.0 mm, and then at each 2.5 mm increment thereafter until the total
penetration is 12.7 mm.
The CBR number is used to rate the performance of soils primarily for use as bases
and subgrades beneath pavements of roads and airfields.
Many paving design procedures are published in which one enters a chart with the
CBR number and reads directly the thickness of subgrade, base course, and/or flexible
pavement subgrade modulus k before entering the paving-design charts.