Regression Model for Resilient Modulus of Subgrade Soils

Subgrade soil is an important part in both flexible and rigid pavement structures. AASHTO recommends the use of bulk stress and deviatoric stress models to characterize granular and cohesive soils, respectively. However, these models oversimplify the fundamental behavior of subgrade soils. Being proposed is the use of an octahedral stress-state model to characterize the resilient modulus of different soils. Eight different soils representing major soil types in Louisiana were selected to validate the model and to calibrate the model parameters. Additional analysis was then performed to develop correlations between the model parameters and other soil properties. Three types of correlation were produced: (a) model parameter with soil properties, (b) model parameters with California bearing ratio, and (c) model parameters with unconfined compressive strength. Statistical analysis indicated that the correlation between model parameter and soil properties yielded the best results.