Transportation

Research Board
Committee Research Problem
Statements
-A2L06 Committee on Engineering
Behavior of Unsaturated Soils-
 PROBLEM 1: ADVANCING STATE-OF-THE-ART
OF APPLIED UNSATURATED SOIL TESTING FOR
TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES
Current: In the US, important research has been
accomplished in field and laboratory measurements of soil
suction, analysis of shrink-swell-collapse behavior, and
assessment of soil water characteristic curve (SWCC) for soil
drainage aspects.
New direction: Very few efforts up to date have been
focused on stress-strain-strength behavior of unsaturated
soils via suction-controlled testing and its applicability in
the design/analysis of transportation geosystems. A
research study is needed to examine the current state-of-
the-art in unsaturated soil testing worldwide with the aim
of promoting its application in geotechnical engineering
practice of transportation agencies across the US.
 Objective
(1) Assessment and thorough documentation of the current
state-of-the-art in suction-controlled testing technology from
US, Europe, Asia and South America;
(2) Development of an extensive and comprehensive
database relating unsaturated soil engineering properties,
including key engineering properties obtained from suction-
controlled testing, such as hydraulic conductivity, shrink-
swelling potential, peak and residual shear strength, and
static and dynamic stiffness moduli, via the soil water
characteristic curve (SWCC); and
(3) Development of tools that promote the expansion, and
implementation of the database, and use by the geotechnical
engineering practitioners at transportation agencies in the
United States.
 Priority
Traditional saturated soil mechanics based design and analyses of
earth structures situated in unsaturated soil conditions often lead
to construction delays, poor long-term performance, and frequent
repairs of transportation infrastructure. The rehabilitation costs
are estimated to be around millions of dollars annually.
Hence, there is an immediate, high priority research need to
disseminate the current state-of-the-art of unsaturated soil
mechanics principles and characterization methods, developed by
researchers worldwide, to the transportation practicing
engineering community in the country. This research will provide a
better understanding of mechanical characterization aspects of
unsaturated soils via suction-controlled testing and its applications
in the design and analysis of transportation related geosystems.
The priority of this research need is extremely high.
PROBLEM 2: UNSATURATED SOIL MECHANICS
OF DRY AND WET SIDE COMPACTION

Unsaturated soil mechanics plays a dominant role in the behavior of

transportation infrastructure especially when considering that most
structures are supported by compacted soil. There is not yet a
significant application of unsaturated soil mechanics by state
transportation departments geotechnical engineers except in some
cases in specific problems dealing with expansive clay behavior.
However, many pervasive problems associated with transportation
earthworks involve the classical soil mechanics problems dealing
with shear strength, volume change, slope stability, and seepage
which are governed by unsaturated soil mechanics principles. A
research project is proposed to examine the state-of-the-art in
unsaturated soils to study its impact upon the compaction process
in transportation earthwork.
The basic aim is to develop earthwork specifications that utilize
unsaturated soil principles.
 Objective
1) Explain the theory of soil
compaction in terms of unsaturated
soils, and
2) Develop compaction specification
and compaction control in the
framework of unsaturated soil
mechanics.
 Objective
The study should be accomplished by conducting
the following tasks:
1) Evaluate the potential suction range for
conventional state transportation department
compaction specifications (i.e. density at +/- 2 %
of OMC) for AASHTO soil classification groups,
2) Translate effects of these suction ranges into
the changes in the shear strength, volume
change, slope stability, and seepage, and
3) Develop compaction specifications in terms of
soil suction.
 Priority
Compacted earthworks are encountered
throughout the country, and their behavior is a
function of unsaturated soil mechanics
principles.
This research will provide a better
comprehension of unsaturated soils and further
advance the use of unsaturated soil mechanics
by state transportation geotechnical engineers.
Some of the side effects of dry side compaction
under current specifications will be highlighted
in the unsaturated soil mechanics approach.